A Haunting Kind Of Memory
by XxGaarasGirlXx
Summary: Sequel to 'A Twisted Kind Of Sane':: He's back and he's changed. Or maybe that's just his hopeless wish. She's grown up and refuses to be weak. Or maybe that's just her insubstantial dreams. Worlds are about to flipped again, can they handle it?
1. Chapter 1

A Haunting Kind Of Memory

**Chapter One**

O O O

Sakura cursed under her breath and gripped the safety handle above her tighter. She hated riding the subway, it was misery central. That, and God knows how much bacteria was fused into the metal, slithering and crawling over every available space ready to latch onto your skin, burrow in, and wreak havoc on your immune system. Her mouth twisted in disgust and she almost released the handle. Had it not been for the underground train hitting a rather rough spot in the tracks and jostling the passengers roughly, she would have.

"Stupid subway," she fumed as she regained her footing and fanned her face. It was so _hot _cramped together with all these bodies. How much longer would she have to stand in this inferno?

"_Will be arriving at Isogashii Square shortly, please stay clear of the doors_."

_Oh, thank all merciful God. _Sakura breathed a sigh of relief and pulled the front of her shirt away from her sweaty chest. She grimaced when the fabric clung to her sweat soaked body, and ground her teeth. She really needed to buy a new car, the old one that she sent the junk yard a few months back _obviously _wasn't doing her any good.

"For cripes sake," she muttered and sat her purse down on the metal floor beneath her. After a quick struggle, she yanked her overshirt off her and stood in just the plain white undershirt she had slipped on that morning. As she bent down to grab her purse, her bra strap slipped out from underneath her sleeve. It was black. Her undershirt was white. And thin.

Shit.

Sakura straightened and stared in dismay at her damp undershirt. It was so see through it was beyond embarrassing. In fact, if she got off the station and stood on the corner, it would be like holding a neon sign saying, _'Come pick me up, I'll give you a ride you won't forget!'_

But it was too hot to put on her overshirt again. This was the _last _time she went to visit her parents with only a duffel bag full of half-attempted thoughts of packing.

Sucking up her embarressment, Sakura clutched her shirt and purse in her hands and gripped the safety handle tighter. Blush be damned, she was _not _going to make herself suffer in the heat willingly!

Ten minutes and a few disgustingly leering looks later, Sakura stumbled from the subway and made her way quickly to the street above. The immediate heat wave that assaulted her had her head reeling and she swore that some part of her sweat fogged brain went into a dead coma. Well this is what she got for moving to the city where 'dreams happen'. At least, that's what the billboard had said, and the add, and the info-mercials. Just goes to show that when a vulnerable woman is searching desperately for a way into a new life, advertising becomes a two-faced friend from hell.

Slinging her duffel over her shoulder along with her purse, Sakura sucked in her pride and strolled down the street to hail a taxi. Her nerves were so frayed at the moment that if just _one _of those yellow bastard cars drove by her, by God, she'd rip it apart with her bare _hands _and--

As if sensing her frustration about to explode all over the block, a taxi swerved off the main road and screeched to a stop right in front of her. She refused to think that her revealing top had anything to do with it, though she knew it did.

"Forty-eighth and sixth street, please." Sakura huffed as she scrambled into the, _blessedly, _air-conditioned car.

The cab driver snorted as he pulled away from the curb. "Having a lazy day?"

Sakura's green eyes flashed as she glared into the rearview mirror at the driver. "Excuse me?" she bit.

She watched him shrug. "Three blocks away isn't that far a walk, ya know."

"Well, forgive me for wanting to get out of this _damn _heat for five minutes!" she retorted in a bristled tone. "Where do you get off thinking you can talk to me like that anyway?"

His brown eyes rolled, a spark of amusement lighting their depths. "_Please_," he scoffed and shook his head as he turned the corner sharply. "All you tight ass women are the same, thinking that everyone has to bow down at your feet when you pass by."

Oh, he was _not _even _going there! _"What--"

"Look at you, expensive clothes, and a look that clearly says _'I'm better than you, so kiss my pedicured feet.' _Come on, can't you be more original? And that condescending tilt of your head with your nose turned up. Man, what I wouldn't give to whipe it off."

Sakura stared incrediously at the man manuevering the vehicle. Where did he get off talking to her like this?! And she was _not _looking down her nose at him! In fact, that would be nearly impossible since from what she could tell, he was taller than her! As if this day couldn't get any worse, now she gets verbally abused by a _taxi _driver!

"Look here--"

"Zaku." he supplied helpfully.

She clenched her fists, "_Zaku," _she growled. "I haven't even done anything to you, and you start snapping at me? I'm sure you have your own share of problems but I _refuse _to sit here and let you take it out on _me, _someone you hardly know!"

His eyes flicked to her reflection in his mirror.

"_You're _the one that stopped and let me in when you could've drove on by." She didn't think of her earlier threat of tearing apart the first cab that passed by her."_You're _the one that started yakking at me as soon I got in. _You're _the one that really needs to get your priorities straight and _obviously _learn some damn _manners!"_

The silence was almost deafening in the cab and Sakura forced herself to take take a few slow breaths and calm down. This heat was seriously taking a toll on her suddenly delicate psyche. Just let him say one more word. One more_ word _and she'd rip him a new one.

"I like you, what's your name?"

Of course she wasn't expecting _that _type of response. Maybe an insult or a threat dropped into a crescendo of shouting, but definately not _that._

In her confusion, she managed to mutter out a broken: "E-eh?"

"Your name," he repeated slowly, as if speaking to a little three year old. "I told you mine, don't you think it would be _polite_ to tell me yours?" he sneered, a mocking smirk on his lips.

"What are you, bi-polar?" she managed, a taunting laugh echoing her words.

He rolled his eyes again. "You're one to talk. Name?"

Biting her tongue and clenching her fists, she replied with a grunt. "Sakura. Haruno Sakura."

He gave a pleased smile. "Well, Haruno Sakura, it was nice to meet you. I hope to see you again one day."

And then the cab pulled up to her apartment complex and she sat staring in frustrated annoyance at the driver. What the _hell--_

"That'd be five hundred yen, _Sakura._" he tilted his head and gave her a charming smile, eyes glinting humoursly.

Shaking her head in amazement, Sakura plunked the necessary amount in his hand. As she made to pull back and exit the infuriating cab, his hand enclosed around her wrist and stopped her. Her eyes whipped back to his and she didn't hide the baleful look she knew she was wearing. He looked undetered as he placed a small business card in her hand.

"Have a nice day, Miss Sakura." he said, his face actually serious for the first time since she stepped into his cab. "I hope to hear from you..." his eyes dropped from her face to her chest. "...nice shirt, by the way."

And there was the cocky grin.

Only after Sakura unlocked her apartment door and trudged over the threshold to plunk onto the cushions of her soft couch did she lift her hand and stare at the card clutched between her fingers.

_Abumi Zaku_

_Tax Driver and Part Time Bartender_

Under this it listed two contacts, one landline and another--a cellphone. Circled with a swift hand. Off to the side was a trademark, three music symbols adjusted into a small triangle. On the bottom left corner was an address (to the bar he owned, she supposed) and a name. _Sound Bar Three_, it read. Which, undoubtedly, _was _the bar he owned. Apparently he liked the number three since it was the amount of music symbols and also in the title, and, obviously, music signs.

Sakura rolled her eyes. Cocky little bastard, thinking that she was going to call him. She smirked remembering his parting words, _"...nice shirt, by the way."_ and then her answering smack to the face. It did nothing to dampen his mood, though, she noticed. He had just chuckled lightly under his breath and nodded as if somehow she had answered a question of his and turned back around in his seat as she left his cab and entered the apartment lobby.

She scoffed under her breath and rolled onto her side. Her shirt clung to her body and she wrinkled her nose. Right. First, give Sakura a shower. Second, feed Sakura. Third, maybe, just _maybe, _entertain the thought of calling this Zaku.

After all, it wasn't as if she was _married _or anything.

O O O

"Gaara, you _are _ready. Now stop looking like your staring down the barrel of a gun." Tsunade snipped, placing a reasuring hand on the young man's shoulder and handing him a piece of stiff paper with the other. "Here's your bus ticket. You should arrive at your sister's house around eleven tonight. I just spoke to her on the phone," she paused at his slightly pained look and continued on in gentler voice with a small smile. "She's happy you decided to come stay with her for a while instead of trying to find a place on your own....she's sorry about everything that happened."

Gaara's eyes averted from the blonde's sharp eyes and looked at the door to his left. She was sorry? Could he accept that, after all the years spent in confinement and then this past year and a half hidden away in the mountains of Iwa like some animal and she had never once tried to patch things up with him? He squeezed his eyes shut. No, not like an animal. It had been a good experience for him. He was...he was _better_ now.

It wasn't _entirely _Temari's fault though, Tsunade had declined any outside contact for him for the duration of his stay. Deciding the best option would be for him to start out fresh on his own. Almost like a new born baby. Besides, he learned fast anyway. It wouldn't be too difficult.

At least, that's what he told himself.

"Alright, you better get going if you're going to catch that bus."

He turned back to her and nodded slowly. His brow furrowed as he tried to form feelings into words. He had never been good at this, even before this new treatment. Thankfully, Tsunade understood and wrapped her arms comfortingly around him, bringing him into one of the most motherly of embraces he had ever experienced. His stomach jumped into his throat.

He stood rigid in her arms for a moment before consenting and hesitantly returning the embrace. His arms were stiff and awkward around her, uncomfortable beyond reasoning but still satisfied that he didn't have to try and explain what he was feeling inside. He heard her laugh as she pulled back and took a step away.

"Well, one thing's for sure. You still don't know how to give decent hug, but maybe that'll change once Temari gets a hold of you, hm?"

A small smile graced his lips.

"Okay Gaara," she grinned, clapping her hands together once and bending down to hand him his bag. "You made it this far and I hope you never stop fighting. In fact, _promise _me you will never stop battling that uphill war to happiness, okay? I'm an old woman, I need the reassurance."

"I promise, Tsunade."

She smiled softly to herself, noting that his voice was deeper, too. He had changed more than she noticed being around him for so long. But now, as he got ready to leave for good, the changes in his physic and personality were as clear as glass. His face was more defined, though his eyes still retained the bruised look of a compulsive insomniac. She doubted they would ever fade. Just another scar to remind him of the person he would (hopefully) never be again along with the faded love kanji scratched into his forhead.

His eyes, once sharp and cold and _deadly, _were now soft--if not gentle at times--and readable if you squinted and tilted your head and actually concentrated on the change. His hair still maintained the messy, spiky mass of crimson style tumbling over his eyes and outlining the handsome face of a new man. It seemed to be less wild now, though. Even the way he held himself, once the 'stalking predator hunting for prey' stance and gait, now melted into one of calm rationality.

Tsunade couldn't help but think if she was a few thirty-or-so years younger, she'd be swooning over him like a schoolgirl with a crush. She suddenly felt very aware of her age.

"Then all that's left for you to do is walk out that door." she smiled encouragingly.

He shifted the weight of his bag on his shoulder and shuffled his feet. After a moment's silence he held Tsunade's gaze with a look of guilt and apprehension, sorrow reflecting in the pools of his eyes. "I'm sorry."

Tsunade was thrown for a moment. Sure she had been around him for a while and witnessed him develop into a completely different person, but there was still some things _she _wasn't even used to Gaara doing. Apologizing fell deftly into that category.

Smiling wistfully she rested a hand on his cheek, having to lean on her tip-toes just so to get at the right height to do so. "There is absolutely nothing to be sorry for. Now, you need to know that I am very proud of you, Gaara. I have never met anyone like you, and probably never will again. Embrace that orginality, alright? Don't fall for conformalities' tricks. Just be you and everything will be fine." she sighed and withdrew her hand and rocked back on her heels. With a teasing smile she added: "Now go live your life and I hope to never see you again."

His eyes reflected a brief flash of shock before realizing the joke in her words. He smiled and turned to the door. Pushing it open, and blinking at the sudden blazing sun, he paused in the doorway and turned back one last time.

"...Thank you."

As she watched him leave, Tsunade refused to believe the sudden burning in her eyes and watering sensation on her senses was nothing more than the sun blinding her. After all, it was a bright day and the sun tended to be vengeful like that.

_God, _she thought. _Let it be easier for him this time around._

O O O

The bus wasn't crowded, which he was highly grateful for. He took the farthest seat in the back, propping an elbow on the slim ledge by the window and leaning his forhead against the reflective pane. The sun burned his eyes and he blinked, switching his gaze to the sidewalk below the window. It didn't surprise him that he could see the waves of heat seeping from the asphalt.

Even though the heat was almost unbearable, and he knew it would most likely be even worse at his destination, he couldn't find it in him to wish for cold weather. He _hated _cold weather. The sun and heat and stifled scorching of the air was what he was used to, really, and when the seasons changed to winter, he spent a good part of the time glaring at the clouded sky in disdain. Though it couldn't hurt if the temperature lowered just a _little._

"Is this seat taken?"

Gaara glanced up and shook his head, watching out of the corner of his eye as a young woman, probably a few years older than himself, moved to sit in the seat across from him. His eyes were immediately drawn to the oddly shaped tattoos on her cheeks which resembled upside down triangles. Hadn't he seen those somewhere before...?

Her mouth twisted into a grin and he looked back into her dark eyes. "Funny looking things, aren't they? It was my mother's idea way back when." she waved a dismissive hand, ending his thoughts on the familiar tattoos. "Crazy mothers and crazy obsessions, right?"

He only gave a faint smile and nodded, not bothering to point out that he didn't have a mother and never had. It only made people uncomfortable and forced them to feel the need to unnecessarily apologize to him.

She huffed out a breath and fanned her flushed face, unbuttoning her outer shirt and using it to wipe the perspiration from her forhead. "Crazy weather we're having. I don't remember it _ever _being this hot."

"Better than the cold." he said, forcing himself to make small talk, even though it was another thing he could do without, but Tsunade had always encouraged him to be more social.

The woman nodded and smiled. "Isn't that the truth. I'd rather sweat off my skin before I go out and freeze my ass off somewhere. At least in the heat you manage to get into shape. Oh, sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. My name's Hana," she stuck her hand out with a wide smile. "Yours?"

"Gaara." he said, shaking her hand and nodding respectively to her. After releasing her grip she began digging in her bag.

"Well, Gaara, care for a peppermint? They're the mint-chocolate flavored type, the kind you can only get on Halloween." she laughed, pulling out a small bag of green and black mints.

"I don't really have a sweet tooth."

She dug out two pieces and handed him one anyway. "You'll change your mind after you try that, believe me. They have addictive tendencies branded into their system."

He unrwrapped the candy and popped it into his mouth. "Addictive? That can't be too good."

She popped her own in her mouth and nodded her head gravely, speaking in a mock serious voice, "Rumor has it, if you stop eating them, you'll go into such intense withdrawels your liver will eat itself."

He raised a brow and sucked on the sugary sweet candy, crossing his arms over his chest. "Mm, looks like I'm obsessed with them already." he shrugged. "Livers aren't that important, anyway."

"That's the idea." she smirked and settled back in her seat. "So, where you headed, Gaara? Have the urge to just up and run or you going to see family?"

"Something like that." he replied, carefully thinking over his response. After all, it's not like he could outright say, _I just finished therapy sessions with the lady that has been taking care of me since I was a kid in an insane asylum. Oh, yeah, and, according to said caretaker, I'm not legally insane anymore. _"Moving in with my sister until I can find my own place."

Her warm eyes dropped to the lone backpack by his side. "Not many possessions, huh?"

He shook his head. "Never been very materialistic."

She nodded in understanding and turned to look out the window as the bus finally started and began to pull away from the station. "Finally," she muttered under her breath. "I'm going to see family myself. My mom owns a dog shelter and she's in need of a vet." she pointed a thumb at herself. "And naturally, she's going to be needing the best!" he returned an amused smile at her cheeky grin.

They lapsed into a comfortable silence for a few minutes, interrupted only by the sound of the engine purring and the wheels carrying them quickly over the blacktop. Gaara's eyes drifted to the sky and lazily watched as the clouds seemed to melt in the sky from the sun's glare. A few sly clouds managed to drift by the sun unharmed and turned a faint shade of pink as they passed in front of the fireball's rays.

Unconcsiously, Gaara's hand drifted to his pocket and he found himself staring at a faded photo that had definately seen better days. One corner was ripped and jagged and the entire span of the picture was creased and delicate in such a way that his fingers handled it the upmost care out of habit. His eyes drifted to the shocking pink color framing charmingly green eyes as they concentrated on a task before them. Gentle fingers curled around a pen as it poised itself above a sheet of paper. She seemed so determined sitting there, and his finger traced her profile, barely touching the surface of the picture.

"That your girlfriend?"

His eyes shot up in surprise and looked dazedly over at his seating companion. Hana cocked her head as a knowing smirk curved her lips. "Oh-ho! So it is! Well, she's quite a looker. Is that really her natural hair color?"

His throat closed and he glanced back down at the picture. Feeling his heart pound just a little bit faster in his chest. "Yes," he muttered and stuffed the picture back in his pocket. A sudden surge of frustration enveloped him and he scowled out the window, not knowing exactly why he felt so helpless all of a sudden.

Hana fidgeted across from him. "Sorry, I didn't mean to pry. I seem to do that a lot, you'll have to warn me when I do it."

Gaara only grunted.

After a while of tense silence, Hana cleared her throat and spoke up again. "I know it's none of my business, but...from the way that picture looks I'm guessing you've had it for a while and--and I'm only guessing here--it looks like you're pretty fond of her." his expression tightened and his body stilled. Hana sighed heavily and nudged him with her foot, gaining his attention and staring unblinkingly into his hard eyes. "Don't let the good things slip through your fingers, okay? You only live once and life's too short to pass up these kinds of chances."

He stared at her with blank eyes, not daring to breathe as she managed to hit a nerve. She didn't understand that he had _already _let this good thing slip through his fingers. In fact, he had _forced _it out of his grasp and ran from it with his tail tucked between his legs. But that's what he was trying to fix, trying to mend and make better. The only problem was that he wasn't so sure that fate was going to be so compliant and that the chance was already gone.

Hana closed her eyes and turned her face to the window, effectively ending the conversation and leaving Gaara to his thoughts. His hands clenched and he gritted his teeth, not understanding why he wanted to punch something and grind a rock to dust with his bare hands. Taking a deep breath, he followed Hana's example and leaned against the window with a heavy sigh. The picture in his pocket felt like it was burning a hole through his jeans and scorched his skin much like a pair of emerald eyes had done to him so long ago.

* * *

_Okay so how was the first chapter? To your liking, I sincerely hope. And just so you know, Abumi Zaku IS a canon character. He was in the beginning of the Naruto series in the chuunin exams from sound with Dosu and Kin. Remember now? Maybe this will jog your memory, Sasuke broke his freakin' arms. Yeah, that's right, the guy that was at the mercy of one bastard Uchiha when Sasuke went ape-shit crazy the first time. _

_Well, that took forever and a day now didn't it? Sorry, sorry. It's just that it felt kind of good not to worry about the next update for _A Twisted Kind of Sane_ and I was basking in it you guys. __Just to warn you, THIS WILL NOT BE UPDATED QUICKLY, alright? I know, that's pretty annoying considering how long I made you wait for it in the first place, but I DO have other projects I'm working on. Which reminds me, if any of you have an account on LiveJournal, please send me a PM because I just made an account on there and I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. Seriously. I need help. I will be forever grateful! (once I get help, I'll post the link on my profile so you guys can read some of my stuff on there. Of course I'll post the stories that I put on there on here, too, but for first reads you can see it on there. Depending if I get the help I need, that is.)_

_Also, before I forget, credit for this title goes to none other than _Only if you wish it _who put forth quite a few awesome sequel names. Hers was the ONLY one that went so well with the first story! Ya know, _A Twisted Kind Of Sane _and then _A Haunting Kind Of Memory_, see? Fits so well. And funny thing is how the title will have significance in the story considering Gaara is a haunting memory to Sakura and vice versa. _

_So anyway, if haven't got it yet, there will be a number of crack couples in this. There's quite a doozy coming up in the second chapter. (wink) If you have any suggestions on crack couples (not involving Gaara or Sakura since I already have plans for that, thanks) then include them in the review and I'll take them into consideration. Afterall, crack couples ALWAYS make a story better. I'm not saying things like OrochimaruxHinata and stuff like that. I mean people who are a part of the Rookie 9 or even a few of the senseis (including ones like Anko) and people like Izumo and Kotetsu. People like them I can mention in passing or something. So here comes your part in all this! Review please! I love my reviewers!_


	2. Chapter 2

A Haunting Kind Of Memory

**Chapter 2**

O O O

Gaara ran a hand through his messy hair as he opened his bedroom door, halting immediately when he came face to chest with his sister's husband. He _still _found it difficult to adjust with this man, condsidering he didn't even know he existed until just recently. That, and the fact that he was married to his _sister _just didn't sit well with him. He wasn't close enough to his sister to feel that protective brother urge like he knew he would be feeling under normal circumstances, but he was close enough to have the immediate right to dislike any man who touched his sister's backside with such audacious arrogance as if he _owned _it.

"Hey, you're up! Good," Gaara watched as Hidan's hand reached out and draped over his shoulder. "Come on, Temari's fixed a damn good breakfast, seriously."

Hidan grinned cheekily as he tugged the younger man beside him and led him down the stairs to the kitchen where Temari just finished setting down a plate of scrambled eggs. Her blue-green eyes brightened at seeing the two men step into the room.

"Hey, Gaara." she walked over and gave him a quick hug and kiss to his temple. He stayed still, having discovered when he first arrived over a week ago that she tended to do this morning ritual daily. "You still like pancakes, right?" she asked as she pulled away and showed him his seat. "I made a bunch this morning."

He nodded in assent and looked at the plate before him heaped with his breakfast. Hidan took the seat across from him and eyed the plate of food set for him appreciatively. "Looks good. Is this my birthday present?"

Temari took her own seat and fixed her counterpart with an easy smile. "Not the only one, but it's a start. After work, you get the second part."

Gaara tuned out the conversation as he ate, trying to ignore Hidan's dirty mouth and even more dirtier comments to his sister. However, when Hidan let slip a quip about 'penetration' and 'sticky substance' in the same sentence as 'Temari', Gaara kicked out violently with his foot and watched with satisfaction as Hidan shouted and cradled his injured shin.

When demanded for an explanation by Temari herself, Gaara only shrugged and informed his brother-in-law in an uninterested tone across the table: "In some countries, speaking like that of pancakes is a crime worthy of the death penalty."

Hidan promptly halted his innuendos for the moment and grumbled as he dug into his sticky pancakes, carefully keeping his legs as far away from the younger man as physically possible. Temari only stared, bewildered, at her youngest brother no doubt wondering what he was talking about and where this so called pancake-loving country was.

O O O

"So he was, what, a six?"

Sakura shook her head and cradled the phone between her shoulder and ear. "No, no. More like a five-and-a-half."

She smirked at Ino's irritated sigh. "_Sakura,_" she whined. "I thought we agreed on the 'no in-between' numbers!"

Taking a bite of the piece of fruit chopped up on her plate, Sakura hummed her agreement. "Well, I don't want to give him too high a number because he doesn't deserve it."

"Why? Did he point out your big forehead?"

Sakura frowned sharply and imagined beating her blonde friend over her head with a hefty mallet. "_No,_" she grated. "He most certainly did _not._"

"Then what? Not pay for dinner? Come on, tell me already!"

"He's just so...so crass, I guess is the only way to describe it. I bet he and Naruto would get along well considering they both have a tendency to make perverted comments."

Ino laughed in her hear. "Please, if he's that bad, he'd be better off hanging out with Jiraiya."

_Point. _

"Anyway, you going out with him again tonight?"

Sakura paused and considered before replying. "Should I?"

"Well, _duh_, if you ask me. I mean, that's a total given." Ino remarked sarcastically. "He's cute, he's smart, and he's kinda rich. A little bit blunt apparently, but you gotta take the good with the bad."

"...Ino, that's the most philosophical thing I've ever heard you say. And it was _good. _Do I need to come over and give you check-up? Are you feeling sick?"

Sakura bit back her laughter at Ino's indignant squawk. "Just go out with Zaku again before I tell Naruto you're banging a drug dealer on the sly."

"Fine, fine. But just so you know, I would've gone out with him again anyway. He's taking me out on his boat and I'm not missing that for anything."

Sakura found it highly amusing to rub it in every now and then that her current 'boy-toy', as Ino had so crudely put it many a time, actually had a taste for romance while Shino's version of a romantic outing was taking Ino to his family's bug exhibit and staring at the numerous paintings and glass-encased bug carcasses. When asked why she actually stuck around with him, Ino only replied:

"He has his moments," here she would sigh dreamily and get a distant look in her baby blue eyes. "_Oh, _and what moments they _are._"

From the way that the blonde would practically salivate, Sakura assumed it had to do with either a very sweet and thoughtful action, or just good sex. The latter was the most believable, all things considered.

Ino broke into a tangent then that had absolutely _nothing _related to the conversation and Sakura sighed with an amused smirk. Her friend had always been one to turn the conversation around when it wasn't going the way she wanted. Sakura dubbed it as one of her many talents.

Cutting in, Sakura said: "As much as I would love to hang around, some of us have work to get to. So, I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Oh, al_right. _But just some friendly advice, Sakura. Tonight's your third date, right? Well, from the _Dating for Dummies _I got you last year for your birthday, it said that the third date is plausible enough for your first make-out session!"

Sakura rolled her eyes and stood from the table, balancing her half-empty glass of orange juice and plate. "First off, why did _you _read the book since you claim to know how to make every man on earth drop to their knees and beg. And, second, _I'll _decide when our first make-out session will be, not some book. God, I feel like a teenager talking about necking with my best friend." she mumbled, setting the dishes on the counter before picking puher cup and taking a quick sip.

Ino sighed heavily on the other line. "I only read it because it was the start of Shino and I dating," she muttered. "In any case, just don't--"

"_Goodbye_, Ino. I'm going to be late." Sakura cut in, smiling when Ino growled and returned the farewell.

After hanging up with Ino, Sakura quickly dumped the dishes in the sink and all but sprinted to the front door. No doubt she was going to be late now. Hopefully Chiyo-sama wouldn't be _too _angry and would only give Sakura a warning. Besides, she hadn't been late in God knows how long. In fact, she hadn't been late to the hospital since working for Tsu--

"No. I'm not going there." Sakura snarled to herself and snatched her purse from the ground before stomping out of her suburban home. Abruptly, she halted right outside her front door and groaned in exasperation.

"I _really _need to get a car!" she wailed before jogging to her next door neighbor to ask for a lift to the subway station.

O O O

Hidan cocked his head to the side as his amethyst eyes narrowed in contemplation. Gaara blinked slowly, wondering why he was here instead of back at the house looking over job applications.

"Hell no." Hidan snorted and turned away from the rack of clothes and made to exit the shop. After a moment, having chanced a glance at the owner of the store who looked about ready to pop a blood vessel, Gaara followed with his hands shoved deep in his pockets.

It had been Temari's idea for the two of them to..._bond _as she eloquently put it. Hidan had outright laughed and asked what the fuck she was thinking since they had already bonded enough over the past week.

"Oh, please. Just because you live in the same house and have monosyllabic conversations over meals doesn't mean you have bonded!" she had retorted, hands on her hips. Gaara had sighed and looked out the window, knowing enough about Temari that when her hands rested on her hips, she was going to get her way no matter what.

As he could have easily guessed, Hidan and Temari got into a heated disagreement and in the end Hidan was forced out of the house along with himself as Temari locked the door and promptly took the key--locking them all out. Which wasn't too bad for Temari considering she had the key and had to be at work anyway. But it was putting a damper on the plans that the other parties had planned for the day.

Hidan, being so shocked by the actions, could only gape as his smirking wife took the car and drove away down the street and leaving him and his brooding brother-in-law standing in the lawn.

"She's gone," Gaara had supplied blankly, his eyes staring impassively at his sister's husband with bored eyes. Though he wouldn't admit it out loud, he _was_ feeling rather ticked at the prospect of forced bonding with the man that had made more than a few innuendos of his sister this morning. His leg shifted as if readying to kick Hidan in the shin again before Gaara remembered that kicking in the middle of the yard was pretty much just begging for a fight.

Not that he didn't think he could win, but he figured Temari wouldn't appreciate her yard being trampled by agitated men being forced to spend time together. Then again, fighting could be viewed as bonding he had mused silently.

After a few moments of debating, mostly staring on Gaara's part, Hidan had called up one of his questionable friends to drop them off at a few shops downtown since, "You hardly have any damn clothes, and the ones you do have are on their last threads, seriously."

Which found them where they are now, walking out of an overpriced store with the few bags they had managed to purchase and brain-damaging boredom etched into every line of their faces.

"Alright, look," Hidan said, shifting the bag that a pair of shoes for both him _and _Gaara. "Kakuzu should be around that corner. If he isn't, then I'm keying is car."

Gaara fought the urge to roll his eyes. "No keys." he replied simply.

Hidan swore heatedly under his breath and lengthened their steps as they made their way to the corner. Once turning and following the boardwalk, Hidan's face split into a feral grin that reminded Gaara too much of his asylum days.

"Well looky here! The cocksucker didn't leave after all." Hidan barked, coming to a stop in front of his 'friend'. Gaara _did _roll his eyes this time and shifted the bags from one hand to the other. Kakuzu raised a brow at the shopping bags and Gaara shook his head.

Hidan heaved a huge sigh, slumping his shoulders just slightly. "It's called bonding," he drawled, moving around the side of the car to drop the bags in the back seat. Gaara followed and threw his own bags in after, making sure to keep them off where he would have to sit.

Kakuzu grunted and fixed his eyes on his silver-haired companion. "I have to be somewhere soon, where can I drop you off at." It wasn't a question, Gaara noticed, mildly amused.

"Another collection pick-up, eh? Stupid shit like that's going to get you a one-way ticket to prison, seriously."

This time it was Gaara who raised a brow and Kakuzu who gave a minute shake of his head to the oblivious man in front of him. "Not in front of the kid, Hidan."

Hidan's brow furrowed as he glanced around the trio before fixing his slightly confused eyes back on the agitated man. "Deidara's not here, Kakuzu--Oh! You mean Gaara?" Hidan snorted as he laughed and wrapped his arm around Gaara's shoulders and tugged him into his side. "Gaara's no kid, fucker! He's family! It doesn't matter if he knows."

Gaara, still mentally slugging the hell out of the scarred man (he finally could see the two scars stretching from the edges of Kakuzu's mouth mid-way to his ears at the close proximity) in front of him for calling him a _kid, _suddenly snapped out of his daze and glanced at Hidan from the corner of his eye. _Knows? Knows about what?_

Kakuzu silently stared at Hidan with a look that was dangerous and curious at the same time before rolling his eyes and making his way to the drivers' side. "Fine, since he's _family..._" here his mouth twisted as if the word were foreign on his tongue. "you can do the honor of telling him later. Right now, I want my money."

Hidan released his brother-in-law and nudged him in the shoulder while jutting his chin out at his companion. "Fucker's crazy as hell--"

"More so than you?" Gaara cut in, his voice deadpan and brow lifted in faux curiosity.

Hidan's mouth snapped shut as he looked at Gaara with an appraising eye before breaking into a grin and slapping him on the back. "Okay, that was a fucking cheap shot, but good, I'll give you that. Apparently you can take a joke better than Kankurou."

Both men took a moment to remember Kankurou's visit a few days prior. Kankurou had obviously been less than enthusiastic about Hidan being present and took every opportunity to show it. Gaara had served as the referee more than once (though he didn't actually _stop _any of the squabbles so much as watch with an amused air as the two rolled around on the floor like toddlers) and had thoroughly enjoyed the show before Temari would interfere and manage to yell the ears off all three men before stomping outside for some air.

Gaara found out the night after Kankurou left that his brother had a sore spot with one of the people Hidan was associated with. A man named Sasori, someone relatively close to Hidan, had gotten into a heated argument with Kankurou the past year and had deftly landed the brunette in the hospital for a few days. Sasori wasn't that much better off, Hidan had said. He spent the better part of a week in a hospital bed, too.

A car horn exploded from beside the pair and Hidan leaped away from the noise, smacking his hands over his ears and narrowing his eyes dangerously at his impatient friend. "What the hell! Who the fuck do you think you are, huh?! Kakuzu, you fucker! Jashin-sama will _end _you if you don't--"

Kakuzu had managed to roll down the window and rolled his cold green eyes. "Hidan, get in the damn car before I leave your asses here. And stop spouting religious bullshit."

"Asshole," Hidan muttered as him and Gaara got into the car, glaring heatedly at their driver. "And it's not bullshit, it's--"

"A way of life, got it."

"Would everyone stop cutting me off, I can hardly get a damn sentence out! Fuck!"

O O O

"Sakura, room 412's patient needs your attention, and after that I need you to run these charts to Chiyo's office. Also, the ER room needs an extra nurse for an upcoming surgery if you're up to it."

Sakura nodded with a strained smile as she took the proffered documents. "No problem, I can do it."

The head nurse smiled and nodded her head appreciatively. "Good, good. Now get going before 412 has a cow."

Sakura grinned and turned on her heel, making her way down the hall to the appointed room before walking in. To Sakura's amusement, it appeared that the woman was quite literally about to have a cow if her swollen belly was any indication.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Sarutobi. How are you feeling today?"

The pregnant woman laying on the hospital cot smiled weakly as a hand rested on her belly. "Fine. Just fine." Here she winced and Sakura noted her bloodshot and tired eyes. Curiously enough, her eyes were a deep shade of maroon, something that Sakura hadn't seen before. They were quite beautiful really.

Checking the woman's vital signs, Sakura tapped the IV bag and turned her eyes on the patient's stomach. "Having any problems with the baby?"

She shook her head. "Their is sharp pains every now and then, but nothing that odd."

"Well, Mrs. Sarutobi--"

"Kurenai."

"Kurenai," Sakura smiled and patted the woman's hand. "There's nothing abnormal about occasional pains, but it's when they start to become more intense and closer together that they are contractions. A nurse should be close at hand when that happens."

Kurenai nodded and ran a hand over her belly. "It should be soon, shouldn't it." she said quietly, gazing at her stomach with gentle affection.

"Yes, it should," Sakura replied, just as quiet before glancing around the room with a slight frown. "Where is Mr. Sarutobi?"

Kurenai smiled almost apologetically and flickered her gaze to the bathroom door. "Sympathy pains."

"Ah," Sakura chuckled. "That must mean he really loves you."

The pregnant woman's eyes adopted a faraway look as her mouth curved into a beautiful mien. "Yes, he does."

After a moment, in which Sakura felt a fluttery sensation in the pit of her stomach and an unbidden blush spread over the bridge of her nose, she patted Kurenai's hand again as she made to leave the room.

"I'm very happy for the two of you," she said before exiting the room and making her way to Chiyo's office to drop off the charts. She almost laughed as she recalled a very manly groan that had seeped out from under the bathroom's door just before she left.

Sakura hoped that when Kurenai's delivery date came that she would be one of the nurses helping with the birthing. Already she felt a connection with the woman and felt albeit obligated to be there and reassure her. And, of course, to give Kurenai's husband a Tylenol for the pain he would be sharing with his wife.

She couldn't help but wonder about the child's reaction, when it got old enough, as it would watch the video tape of it's own birth and seeing their daddy moaning and groaning along with their mother. Sakura laughed. Oh, what a sight that would be, indeed.

* * *

_Yes, I admit it, the last part of this chapter was partially just to fill in space, but somewhat not. Since it will later come into play again. Anyway, the next chapter will be a while to come because I have to go back to school and it is a bitch. I don't know when I'll update again, just be patient, 'kay? _

_So what did you think of Hidan and Gaara bonding together? About breakfast? Not out of character, were they? And Kakuzu? And what's this about Gaara knowing something! Guess everyone will find out later when Hidan takes Gaara to a sit-down so they can have a little chat, huh? Please let me know what you thought! I love my reviewers so much. Despite what everyone thinks, reviews DO help an author write more. It gives us inspiration. Even if you're a lurker, just drop a little '^_^' or something to let me know that you're enjoying this! Thank you!_


	3. Chapter 3

A Haunting Kind Of Memory

**Chapter 3**

O O O

"Sakura, it's late. Don't you think you should go home now?"

The woman in question shook her head and continued shuffling through the files littering the front counter. "No, no. I'm fine."

"But I thought you said you had a date tonight?"

Sakura paused for the barest of moments, trying to remember just when she had voiced her plans to the youngest co-worker before mentally shrugging her shoulders and resuming her search for a certain file. "I did, but I called and canceled. I have important things to take care of here, Amaru." she smiled over her shoulder at the curious red-head.

"Take care of?" Amaru repeated, tilting her head slightly.

"Mmhm," Sakura hummed as she picked up the file she had been searching for and flipping it open, checking its contents with a practiced eye. "I get to take you through the maternity ward tonight. Shinnou-sama and Chiyo-sama agreed that you were ready for it."

At this the young woman rocked back on her heels as her blue-green eyes widened in surprise. Suddenly, a grin split her face and Sakura could see her practically jumping up and down in excitement through her expressive eyes. "Really? Shinnou-sama said that?"

Sakura smiled softly. Of course Amaru would only hear the praise of that man, she worshiped the ground he walked upon. Then again, he _did _take her in when she was young and raised her in the ways of medical practice--of which she soaked up like a sponge. Sakura found it amusing how much she idolized him, and yet Shinnou, despite knowing how much Amaru looked up to him, never let it get to his head.

"Yes, he did. In fact, I even heard him say how proud he is of you and that he knows that you can be one of the best surgeons in the hospital if you wanted." Sakura added happily, snapping the folder closed and holding it against her chest.

Amaru's eyes were bright and excited and Sakura knew right away that she would be more eager than ever to explore the maternity ward now that she had been told of Shinnou's praise.

Twenty minutes later found the pair staring into the room where the babies were lined up in cribs. Classical music filtered through the speakers softly, lulling the infants into a dreamless sleep as the appointed nurses stationed inside with them watched on with a critical, albeit protective, eye. Sakura could see Amaru's face from her peripheral vision and silently approved. The young woman was staring in rapture at the newborns, lips parted in a small 'O' like she was continuously losing her breath at the mere sight of them. She had one of her hands pressed against the glass gently, as if she could caress the tiny fingers and cheeks with her hand through the barrier.

"They're so small," Amaru whispered. "and fragile looking."

Sakura nodded. "Do you want to hold one? This is where you'll be working a for a few months before you move on to the terminal ward."

Amaru frowned, and Sakura could almost clearly hear her thoughts. The transition from birth to death would be disconcerting to say the least, but such is the way of life. Full circle. True, it would be quite a shock for the young woman to jump from the beauty of birth to the shocking realization of death in such a short amount of time, and it would take time to adjust, but Amaru was capable if anything and she had proved as much time and again under Shinnou's tutelage. Sakura had confidence in her.

Placing a comforting hand on the red-head's shoulder, she steered her toward the door that led to the infants. "Come on, I'm sure you will enjoy holding Daichi. He's a sweetheart. He was born just a few hours ago, did you know?"

O O O

Gaara glared balefully at his brother-in-law from across the table and clenched his chopsticks in his hand, almost splintering the thin devices. Hidan, feeling the intense stare on him, glanced up from his delicious plate of shrimp tempura and blanched dramatically. What had he said _this _time?

Oh. Right. Birthday sex. _Big _no-no to homicidal brothers with questionable sanity levels. He _really _needed to pay attention to what he said to Temari better, otherwise he'd end up chopped into tiny bits and served as num-nums for the stray cats that stalked the neighborhood street. That, or get his leg broken by a very violent and choice kick to the shin again.

Clearing his throat, he tested a grin on his face and waved a dismissive hand. "Aw, come on, I was only teasing, shit." he laughed and glanced over at Temari who was fighting back a smirk. Deciding it'd be a good choice to change topics, Hidan turned fully to his wife. "We bought clothes." he blurted.

Temari raised a brow questionably and swallowed her food. "You actually _shopped_?"

Gaara snorted and returned to eating his food, still contemplating how to go about burying his brother-in-law in the backyard without having to deal with the consequences. At the moment, using a mallet on the obnoxious man was sounding rather appealing.

"He hardly had any clothes," Hidan retorted, as if that summed everything up. Which, technically it did, but Temari appeared as if she couldn't quite wrap her head around the fact that they had went _shopping, _like two teenage girls in high school armed with their daddy's credit cards.

After a moment of disbelieving stares, Temari shook her head and eyed her husband and brother skeptically. "Wait, how did you get to town without the car?"

"Kakuzu," Gaara replied, effectively ignoring Hidan's attempts at Morse code which included waggling eyebrows, minute shaking of his head, and a slicing of the throat gesture with his hand as Gaara stuffed some noodles into his mouth.

The silence that followed his statement had Gaara tensing in his seat as the quiet wrapped tightly around the trio. His curious yet wary eyes rose to the couple joining him at the table and he swallowed his food loudly, silently wondering if he should leave the room since Temari looked about ready to tear Hidan's head from his body.

Setting down his chopsticks, Gaara regarded his sister purposefully. "What...?"

"You _promised _me you weren't going to get involved in that shit anymore, Hidan!" Temari hissed dangerously, her fists clenching on the table top. "What are you _thinking_, huh?"

Hidan gaped at the blonde spitfire with a shocked expression, trying to gather his wits and tell her _just _what he had been thinking and that she was blowing it all out of proportion and had misunderstood her _traitorous _little brother's words (he really needed to sit that little fucker down and give him the basics on how to _keep your damn trap shut!_) completely. Hell, they had only gotten a _ride _for Jashin's sake! It's not like he went to the pick-up with him! Or even went to aid in the deed to _get _the cash!

Opening his mouth to deliver said speech, Hidan took a breath managed a choked: "H-huh?"

So much for keeping his slate clean.

Temari exploded.

O O O

"What are you doing here?"

Sakura stared in surprise at the man before her, his sheepish smile and fidgeting movements clearly stating how unsure he was of the situation but nonetheless wasn't going to leave anytime soon unless she verbally ordered him away, and even then it might be difficult due to his stubborn nature.

"Well, when you said you were going to stay late at the hospital, I thought I'd just drop by and see you in your own element." Zaku replied, cocking his head to the side and shifting his weight from one leg to the other. "The woman at the front desk said you would be here showing someone around."

Sakura, recovering from her shock, smiled warmly and nodded. "Amaru," she gestured over her shoulder at the young woman cradling a newborn baby boy in her arms as she rocked gently in one of the padded seats kept in the room. Zaku's eyes drifted to the babies and rose a brow, opting to walk around Sakura and stare down at the newborns. "She's going to be one of the nurses manning the maternity ward from now on, I was showing her the ropes."

"Tiny little things." he murmured. "Kin's been begging Dosu for one lately. I can see why she would want one so bad."

Just as Sakura was about to something, what, she wasn't sure, but _something _because it wasn't everyday a man said something so sincere and sweet about having babies with such a genuine tone and smooth expression, one of the babies in the room squalled like only newborns can and broke the trance.

Zaku grimaced and backed away from the glass, an amused and slightly pained smile curving his lips as he turned back to the pink-haired doctor. "Or not?" he chuckled.

She smacked him on the arm playfully. "Oh, come off it. They're precious."

"If you say so, princess."

Rolling her eyes, and effectively ignoring the nickname he had stuck on her for the better part of the week, Sakura turned and began walking down the hall after giving Amaru a final parting, reassuring smile. Zaku caught up to her shortly and scratched at his cheek absently.

"Do you need to be somewhere important?" he asked, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.

Sakura shook her head. "No. We can go to the cafeteria if you like? The food is horrible, but the coffee is pretty decent."

"Sound's good to me." he grinned down at her as he wrapped a hand easily around her waist and drew her in close to his side. Sakura merely smiled and allowed herself to be pulled in.

Once having attained two cups of the hospital's coffee for them, Zaku took the seat across from Sakura and stirred his coffee slowly, pouring in a few creamers and a packet of sugar. Accepting the cup her companion offered, Sakura followed suit and added a bit more sugar than he did, sticking her tongue out when he eyed her cup with a raised brow.

"So," he said after swallowing a gulp of his drink. "what part of the hospital do you work?"

Sakura shrugged and breathed in the smell of her coffee appreciatively. The steam warmed her cheeks, turning them a dusty pink. "Here and there. Wherever they stick me, mostly. I like to work in surgery, though, and I'm trying to get on the surgical team that Shinou, one of the head doctors, has started."

Zaku nodded absently as his warm chocolate eyes gazed across at her. "You like saving lives."

She smiled. It wasn't a question, merely an observation, and she nodded in assent. "Yes, I do." she sighed. "There's just something...I don't know, _beautiful _about it, you know? When you hold someone's life in your hands, the responsibility of taking care of them, and _knowing _you can save them and having the power to do it, it's a good feeling. You feel needed and useful and strong. It's a rush."

"You seem passionate about it."

"I guess I am," she laughed, sipping her hot beverage.

"Do you think you play God?"

Sakura glanced up at him at his sudden question, wondering if he was one of the critics that patronized against hospitals all over the world, before setting down her cup and rubbing her fingers over the Styrofoam container. "It depends on your views of it, I guess."

Zaku tilted his head in a way that Sakura was becoming to notice he did when curious. "Give me yours."

She sighed and glanced off to the side. "No, I don't think I play God. Who can?" she rubbed the side of her nose self-consciously. "I'm only here to help people, give them a few extra minutes or years. Granted most of my patients cheat death because of _me_, but just because we manipulate the time they die doesn't mean we are playing God. After all, isn't our future supposed to be decided already? If we save someone, that just means that they were not meant to die yet."

"I never really buyedinto the whole 'future set in stone' bit." Zaku said after a moment, having mulled over her words. Setting down his own cup and leaning his elbows on the table he regarded her with warm eyes. "Kind of depressing to think that someone has everything you will ever do planned out down to the last detail when you yourself has no idea of what is to come."

Sakura silently agreed. It was disconcerting at times to think that her life was mapped out for her when she was blind to it all and though you always had a choice, you were still following the pattern made out for you by some greater power.

"Have you ever lost someone on your table?"

Always so blunt, she growled to herself. "Yes. More than once."

Sensing her unease on the subject, Zaku backed off with nod and stretched his arms over his head, flashing her a quick grin. "Have any surgery planned for the rest of the night?"

"Nope. Why?"

"'cause I borrowed a movie off Dosu. Said you might like it from what he gathered of you from what I've told him and seeing you at the bar the other night."

Sakura grinned wryly. "Talking about me behind my back, huh?"

"Maybe."

"Only good things I hope."

Zaku gave his best cheshire grin as he leaned over the table and gazed teasingly into her veridan eyes. "That's for me to know."

O O O

Gaara arms tightened over his chest, fingers digging into his biceps as his eyes narrowed slowly at the couple sitting in front of him on the couch. The left side of Hidan's face was turning a purplish color from where Temari's fist had connected, and there was cut above his left eyebrow from her nail nicking him just slightly when she went to claw his eyes out from his head. Temari was stilling fuming silently, though less violently than before.

In the last hour, things had calmed down considerably. At least now Gaara wasn't protecting Hidan's ass from his volatile sister, and Hidan had stopped bleeding from his nose. Though he still had his nose plugged to stem any more leakage. And, thankfully, Gaara had only come out of the furray with only a stinging red mark on his stomach where Temari's hand had smacked him on accident on its way to slapping Hidan anywhere within reach.

Gaara fixed his eyes on his brother-in-law. "You are working for a drug lord."

"Was. _Was _working for a drug lord," Hidan growled, his tone slightly muffled due to the nose plugs. "Get your fucking story straight."

"You sound like a damn chipmunk." Temari scoffed from beside him, turning her head away in aggravation.

Hidan glared. "I wonder who's fault that is."

Her head whipped back around and Gaara saw her fingers twitch, probably just _aching _to wrap around his throat and choke him out. "Yeah, I _wonder._"

"You're the one who--" Hidan started, hands flying up in an exasperated gesture before Gaara cut him off.

"I want to know what's going on. Now."

His dangerous voice halted both Hidan and Temari in their tracks as they shot wary glances at his suddenly dark person. Temari gulped, having recognized the murderous look on his face from years ago when that same face was locked behind walls of sickness and suffering and loneliness and overall abandonment. She shuddered, and sat back in her seat, respectively staring down at her hands as Hidan followed her example but instead stared the younger man straight in the eyes.

"If I tell you, I can't guarantee that you'll be safe." Hidan said huffed. "This isn't exactly something you go around parading to people, seriously. This shit can get you a bullet in the head if you talk."

Gaara's impassive stare unnerved Hidan. The sudden uncanny resemblance to Sasori was uncanny.

"Look, yeah I worked for a drug lord, but it wasn't just drugs. We were like a personal mafia for this one man and our lives literally belonged to him. Most of us were forced into the organization. Once this guy set his sights on you, you didn't have a choice. Either you joined, or you died."

Temari fidgeted in her seat beside her husband, hating to listen to the story over again since having already endured it once before. The worst parts were yet to come.

Hidan sighed and ran a hand through his slicked back silver locks. "Everyone was bat-shit crazy. I'm not talking about your regular run-of-the-mill druggies running the streets, I'm talking about Grade A psycho ward, seriously." Gaara twitched at his last statement, refusing to comment. "Anyway, they're called Akatsuki. The main goal of the organization is to undermine the government and hack away at their defenses at strategies until the opportunity to overthrow it completely is presented. Hell, I _really _didn't give a fuck about the goal set for us, I was only in it for my own personal gain.

"As you can probably guess, Kakuzu was my partner. We worked in teams of two. That cocksucker is obsessed with money, and most of our errands were spent going to pick-ups to get the cash or turning in some valuable substances for the cash, so we didn't get a lot of action."

Gaara's brow rose. "Did you use?"

Hidan snorted. "Hell no. I'm not an idiot."

There was a pregnant silence following this last statement, and Hidan rolled his eyes dramatically. "Ha ha, funny." he grumbled at the other two's obvious amusement. "You want me to finish telling you this or not?"

Gaara leaned back in his chair and nodded.

"Alright, so me and Kakuzu were on our way to this one pick-up rendezvous and the cops decided to bust us. Someone had given them a tip-off of where we were going to be and when, so it was an ambush. Kakuzu was pissed, seriously. I thought he was going to rip every single one of their heads off, but instead we high-tailed it back to base to relay our information to Leader--"

"Leader?"

Hidan shrugged. "That's just what we called him. I'm not telling you his name, bad enough _she _knows." he jerked his head in Temari's direction and she refused to meet Gaara's gaze just in case he intimidated her into telling him the information. "Leader wasn't too happy, and immediately cooked up a way to deal with our little snitch. Not too long after Kakuzu and I were sent back out to a secluded location where the guy was hiding."

"You killed him."

"Damn right we did. Fucker deserved it. Found him in the middle of raping some civilian and Jashin-sama was due for a sacrifice."

Gaara didn't question the man's odd religious commandments. It was strange beyond understanding, and that was just it, he didn't _want _to understand.

"We got into the compound pretty easily, so we didn't expect to be attacked. Obviously he wasn't as lazy as we thought because not too long after we finished him off, the room was crawling with his sleazy watchdogs. The bastards were sloppy and relentless and there was a hell of a lot of 'em, we didn't stand much of a chance but there wasn't much of a choice. So we fought."

Temari shifted in the seat again, hating the parts coming up because they always seemed to make her upset in the worst of ways.

"Kakuzu ran out of bullets, and I didn't have a gun in the first place because it was supposed to be quick and easy. Fuck that. They were on us before we knew it and we would have died if Kakuzu hadn't managed to call into base. Not long after Deidara and Sasori showed up and took some of the heat off. I _still _don't understand how Sasori manipulated those bastards. He was like a fucking puppet master and they were following his jerking strings." Hidan wiggled his fingers in an imitating gesture. "Somehow he managed to gather them all up at gunpoint, and Deidara, crazy kid loves explosives, seriously, addicted to anything that makes a big flash and goes _boom_. Anyway, Deidara yells out 'Fire in the hole, yeah!' and the next thing I know I'm getting flung back by the force of the explosion since no one decided to inform me that I was within range of the damn bomb." He rolled his eyes indignantly.

"What happened after that." Gaara demanded in monotone.

"One of the slimy bastards was hiding during the bang and I just happened to fly right into him, that's what happened. He didn't hesitate. Fucker tried slicing my head off," Hidan muttered and pulled down the collar of his shirt to reveal a long, thin pink line on the side of his neck. "Fortunately the little dick was too shaken up too do a clean cut and ended up just thumping me in the temple with the butt of his knife, knocking me out."

The blonde haired woman at his side winced and gripped her husband's knee in her hand, clenching her fingers into his jeans.

Hidan continued like he hadn't noticed, though his hand intertwined with hers and Gaara caught the reassuring brush of his thumb over her knuckles. Something inside him growled, though not because of Hidan showing affection to his sister. It was because it reminded him of someone, and he didn't want to remember at the moment.

"The next thing I know, I'm in the hospital trying to get out of the bed because the assholes had me strapped in. Apparently Kakuzu told them I'd try and get away. I had a lot of time to think while I was there, and eventually I came to the conclusion that I wanted out of Akatsuki, and I wanted out right then. So, when Kakuzu came by to replay a message from Leader, I told him. It took a few days of begging, groveling, and threatening--which he punched me for each and every time--but he finally coughed up a few million and payed my way out to Leader."

"You payed your way out of a personal mafia?" Gaara asked, tilting his head to the side.

Hidan nodded. "Doesn't sound possible does it? Especially when talking about Akatsuki, seriously. But I did, and Kakuzu was _pissed_." he snickered. "Leader wasn't too happy either, but he was suffering in a recession and wasn't going to say much about it if he got to keep the money."

"So then, you got out and what, lived a happy normal life?" Gaara sneered.

Snorting, Hidan glanced over his wife who was know looking back and forth between her two men, grateful that the worst part of the story was over. "Far from it. This little hellcat decides to give me a beating right in the middle of the street."

Temari flushed with indignation. "Oh, please! What you did can be considered sexual harassment!"

"What did I do? I was just trying to get by because you were just _standing _in the middle of the _road_!"

"You could haven't gotten by fine, you didn't have to put your hands on--"

"That's enough," Gaara sighed heavily, not wanting to go into detail of his sister's first encounter with the former mafia employer. "They just let you go and get married? Just like that?" he questioned, eyeing Hidan doubtfully.

"Ah, well, something like that. Kakuzu went and told Leader about Temari once we decided to get married. Leader, though a cold ass fucker with mental problems, offered protection. Since I have more than a few people still after my head, I agreed. Apparently even someone like Leader has a soft spot for situations like this since his is almost the same, seriously. He has his own little spitfire to deal with."

"So under protection, someone is always watching out for you."

"Pretty much. It's usually Kakuzu dropping in every now and then, and we have a cellphone that calls directly to base if something happens. Other times a few of the guys will drop by and check things out, make sure no one's set up a trap anywhere. Not that I can't do it by myself, but Leader is just efficient that way and keeps to his word."

The conversation dwindled from there, hopping and skipping from one subject to the other in no order whatsoever and Gaara found himself brooding, getting bored now that the excitement of the dangerous conversation had died off. Just when he was debating on standing up and going back to his room for the night, Hidan went off and made a sexual joke about birthday sex. _Again. _

Before Hidan knew what hit him, a pillow was shoved into his face as Gaara followed after, trying in vain to suffocate the man under him as he straddled his chest and pushed down on the pillow harder. Temari burst into peals of laughter, grappling at Gaara's shoulders as she tried to pull him off, but only succeeded in amusing herself more when she couldn't get a grip. Hidan, trapped beneath the bulky fabric and the combined weight of his brother-in-law, pushed and shoved at Gaara's knees as he too laughed hysterically, gasping for breath, hardly knowing what to do when someone all but leaps on you with the intent of smothering you with a fucking _pillow _of all things.

Temari finally managed to force Gaara to tumble off the side of her husband--who had immediately rolled to the side and alternated between cursing, laughing, and breathing the air around him greedily. After another moment of basking in the almost-murder of Hidan, Gaara got up and made his way for the stairs to go to bed. On his way past Hidan, Gaara's foot shot out and connected with the silver-haired man's shin in the exact same spot as last time.

Gaara shut his door on Temari's laughter and Hidan swearing threats.

Her eyes seemed to glow in the limited light of his bedroom, he noticed as he lay on his stomach on his bed. His fingers gently caressed the picture's faded edges, circling her face ever so softly much like he had done on the bus here. He kept her picture in the drawer of his night stand, and every night since he had arrived, he would take it out and just stare. He would just look at the picture at a woman that, if he hadn't spent time with her enclosed in that hell, he would believe she was nothing but a dream.

But further proof that she existed was that he stood off to the side, his eyes drawn to her even then. It was like she was the iridescent flame dancing in the dark night, and he was the hapless moth inexplicably drawn to her warm embrace and soft dancing colors of power. If he was there, then surely she was real, because _he _was real.

His eyes drooped and he left the picture under his careful fingers, his gaze never leaving her face on the faded photo as he engrained every detail he could, even though he remembered everything about her. From her overly expressive eyes, pouting lips, and easily read expressions because she failed at hiding anything from him.

"Sakura...I'm sorry..."

He would make sure she heard his apology herself soon, because he would find her. He would _find _her, and nothing was going to stop him from showing her what she meant to him this time around. He wasn't afraid anymore.

* * *

_This was actually supposed to be posted sooner than this, but you can blame that on faulty laptop software that has the need to malfunction on a regular basis (growls). On another note, I'm sorry for the lack of GaaSaku-ness, but there is a surprise waiting in the next chapter! Once I get it written and it goes according to plan, that is. So keep your fingers crossed that Evil Laptop doesn't decide to blow up in my face again! Please review you guys, I really want to know what everyone is thinking of Hidan's time in the personal mafia. Jeez, I had to do some research on Mafia in general just to figure out how to fit it all in. How sad is that? I didn't want Akatsuki to be just a group of street druggies that never gained respect. Next thing I know, I found out about personal mafia's and jumped right on it. So please please please let me know how you guys are liking this!_


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **Just in case you want to, I recommend listening to _Requiem For A Dream _Remix by Clint Mansell around Hidan's second part, okay? I had it on repeat while writing from that point on and it really helped me and I believe it sets the mood well. Now continue on, please.

A Haunting Kind Of Memory

**Chapter 4**

O O O

"This the kid Kakuzu was talking about, hm?"

Gaara narrowed his eyes on the blonde man standing in his sister's aclove--blocking his way to the front door where he needed to exit in order to make it on time to his new job at Kankurou's car shop. Hidan poked his head out of the kitchen and looked at the two men with a raised brow.

"Kid? Why's everyone calling him a damn kid? You're the kid here, Deidara."

"Oy, I'm older the him," Deidara grunted, his cornflower blue eyes narrowing. "By a few years from the looks of it, yeah."

Hidan strutted out of the kitchen and ruffled Gaara's red locks. "Heh, you might be older than him, but I'd bet anything he's more mature than you'll ever be, you little shit."

"Do that again, and I'll kill you, Hidan." Gaara muttered as he flattened his hair back out. "I have to go to work."

"What are you doing here anyway?" Hidan said, ignoring Gaara's statement as he cocked his head at the other man.

Deidara shrugged and moved around the pair to plop down on the couch. "Leader decided it was time for a check-up. Kakuzu mentioned he gave you lift a few days ago last night when he popped in."

"Yeah, the cocksucker was going after a pick-up. How'd that go over?"

Gaara rolled his eyes and made for the door to leave, but Hidan put a restraining hand on his shoulder. "Hang on a second, Gaara," he said before turning back to Deidara. "You drove over here, didn't you?"

Deidara eyed the two of them, bored. "Yeah."

Hidan grinned. "Good. Give us a ride."

"When are you going to get you're own damn car?" Dediara grumbled as he pushed himself from the comfy couch and shouldered his way to the front door. "Not touching the stereo, Hidan. My car, my rules, my choice of radio stations, yeah."

"...fucking prick."

O O O

Sakura woke up that morning with a slight headache. After a moment, she remembered why and groaned loudly as she pressed her face back into the sheets. Mentally, she gave herself a beating as she turned her head to the side while praying vehemently that what she could recollect of last night was only a dream and not reality because that would _not _be like her and Ino would pitch the mother of all fits and--

Zaku.

Sakura groaned again thumped herself in the temple in frustration. It wasn't a dream, she _had _slept with Zaku.

Turning her face to look at him again, she noted the almost peaceful look on his face and his messier than usual hair flopped over his closed eyes. His bare shoulders rose and fell softly with each breath he took and without conciously realizing it, she slowed her breathing to match is. It was a beautiful sight really, ignoring the cirumstances and actions that had lead to such a point.

It wasn't often that someone as straight-forward and brazen as Zaku was as ungaurded as he was at that moment, sleeping beside her. It was a rare sight indeed and definitely not an unwelcomed one. Sakura found she rather liked the silence that had settled warmly over the room. It was gentle, and prosed the perfect vibes to fall back asleep in.

But she couldn't because of a niggling thought pushing to the front of her mind with a set determination. She had slept with Zaku, yes, and she felt relaxed. More then relaxed, she felt great, actually. Stress wasn't suddenly so big an issue anymore after having sex. Be that as it may, it wasn't like her at all to sleep with a man after such a short amount of time and it truely bothered her. Sure, she could blame it on the alcohol she had drank last night, having spent the start of their evening at his bar.

That would be blatantly lying to herself, though, because she knew as well as anyone close to her that she wasn't much of a lightweight and her decisions weren't all that impractical under the influence. Maybe just a little blurred. But blurred and outright disregarding common sense were two completely different things.

She felt horrible, and not just from the hangover.

With a groan and a sharp frown, Sakura jerked herself into a sitting position and pulled her knees up to her chest, carefully wrapping the sheet around her to keep her covered (even if now there really wasn't any point.) and massaged her eyes with the palms of her hands. Right, she needed to get home because obviously she couldn't stay wrapped up in Zaku's sheets in Zaku's bed in Zaku's home.

The very thought was naseuating and it struck her as odd. She liked Zaku well enough, she shouldn't feel so sick at the idea of staying around for a bit, but that was the problem. It _did._

On impulse she glanced at him from between her fingers and stared at his face. Exposed. Vulnerable. Open. _Touchable._

And that's when it hit her, or rather, slammed into her with reckless abandon.

The resemblance, the significant relation to the memory suddenly forcing itself on her, was astounding and before she knew it, Sakura felt tears leaking from her eyes and dripping off her chin. It was too much. Too, too much.

Taking completely off guard, she was suddenly and unmercifully reminded of how _he _had looked the moment she had succeeded in breaking down his walls. How _he _had stared at her without pretense and without the anger, confusion, and hate that was his own personal dark cloud. How _he _had layed beside her with the same appearance of vulnerability and exposed thoughts.

_He _being the very man she had spent two years trying in vain to forget and in the end only managing to push him into the back of her mind and stuffing everything he had stood for in a locked box that would never again be opened for her to suffer through. But she felt the rusty hinges creaking, felt the lid being pushing back, felt the flecks of rust falling away as the lid was forced slightly open and a few images slipped past the ancient locks.

Sakura took in a shaky breath as she remembered his crimson locks, his sharp eyes, his grim expression, his unforgiving lips, his relentless hands, and his cruel, cruel heart. She felt suffocated, and knew that she had to get away lest the weak box open all the way and drown her.

She had promised herself a long time ago that she would never let that happen again, that she would never let him hurt her. It was a promise she had believed would be easy to keep.

She saw now how wrong she had been, for just the mere _memory _of him had her heart speeding up and her palms sweating.

Sakura wrenched herself free from the sheets and scrambled for her clothes, paying no attention to the man rousing himself on the bed, suddenly awakening and staring at her in confusion.

"Sakura? What are you doing? What's wrong?" She heard him ask quickly, heard him disentangle himself from the bed and slip on a pair of shorts before standing in front of her as she slipped on her dress from last night. "Hey, _hey_! What's going on?"

"I need to go." she said, avoiding his eyes. "I need to--let _go _of me! I need to leave!"

"Sakrua--"

Her head whipped around and fixed him with a glare that was filled with malice. "I'm leaving."

God, she felt like she couldn't breathe. His mouth snapped shut and his eyes narrowed, mouth fixing in a straight line. "Alright," he said, lips barely moving. "Okay."

Her lungs constricted painfully before relaxing three times in quick succession as he moved out of the way and removed his arms from where they had rested on her shoulders.

She left without another word.

O O O

Gaara had spent most of the morning fiddling with car parts with Kankurou, learning how things were run, and eventually coming out successful replacing new tires on a Honda Civic and repairing a damaged engine on an old Ford truck.

"Nicely done. Very nice." Kankurou grinned and slapped Gaara on the back, reminding the younger brother of their sister's husband. He bit back a smirk, knowing that if Kankurou was aware of his thoughts, he would have a fit because of his dislike for the older man.

Kankurou whiped his forhead with the back of his arm, smearing oil like facepaint across his skin in the process. "So, Temari talk to you about Hidan yet?" he asked. Gaara noted his voice seemed overly casual and narrowed his eyes.

"What about Hidan?"

Kankurou glanced over his shoulder, as if expecting Hidan to stroll around the corner with a big grin and giant explosives loading down his arms before leaning in toward Gaara and cupping a hand over his mouth. "About him being in the friggin Mafia, that's what!" he hissed. "The _Mafia_, Gaara!"

At Gaara's blank look, Kankurou frowned. "You know, leather jackets, creepy expressions," he scowled darkly and snarled as an example. "guys with only one thing on their mind. _Murder_."

Gaara tilted his head to the side and feigned interest. "But Hidan met Temari and it looks as if there are other things on his mind besides murder."

Kankurou clenched his jaw. "Yeah, well, who's to say he isn't planning to kill her, huh?"

"Guess him spending so much time keeping her locked in the bedroom is part of the plan, then."

"Wha--?!" Kankurou sputtered and back pedaled away from his younger brother. "Oh, God, he's corrupting you!"

Gaara smirked.

O O O

Hidan was silent for once, expression cold and indifferent as he fought to keep his mouth shut and eyes trained on the man in front of him. Speaking right now, even muttering one syllable, could get him a bullet to the head, and he couldn't afford that. Not when Temari would be waiting for him to come home safely with her brother in tow and no blood spattered on his clothes.

He was not so sure he could uphold that commitment, though, because he was being asked to do nearly the impossible.

"Do you understand this, Hidan?"

_Fuck._

"Yes."

"Good, it needs to be completed immediately. Sasori is waiting out front for you. Kakuzu will join you at the rendevouz point and you will report back here afterwards, is that clear?"

Hidan swallowed carefully, his hesitation earning a sharp look of disapproval and suspiscion from the man in front of him. "...yes."

"Then you may go."

He was going to leave, really, he was, but he couldn't. Not leaving things like this, unanswered and up in the air. It wasn't right. _None _of this was right.

"Why are you sending me out. I'm supposed to be done with this shit." he said, standing warily in front of the expensive desk his former boss's boss sat behind.

Brilliant crimson eyes looked up at him curiously as he leaned back in his chair, lacing his fingers over his chest. "It is not obligatory of me to provide you with a reason. I require your services, and you will perform the task without complaint lest you desire to deal with the consquences."

"But it's been an entire year."

"Yes."

"I'm not...I have other priorities now!" Hidan snapped, his temper simmering beneath the surface. "I can't just jump right back into this damn life!"

"Hidan." Hidan's eyes darted to the right where Pein stood against the wall, his posture stiff and tense. "Calm yourself."

"But--"

"_Hidan_."

"You promised me protection, didn't you? Where is it now?" Hidan demanded. "I thought this was behind me, you can't just throw me back out there like this!"

Pein visibly clenched his jaw. "I have no choice."

"But I don't work for him! I _worked _for you and that's finished, so what the _hell _am I doing here!"

"I work for him," Pein said quietly, though his eyes reflected his frustration. "Madara specifically requested you for this mission and I cannot refuse."

Madara smiled benignly from behind his fingers and straightened in his seat, fixing his odd red eyes on Hidan. "Forgive me when I say this, but, it has come to my knowledge that you are very..._loyal_ to your new family, correct?"

Hidan didn't like were this was going. He didn't like it at all. He felt sick and unbalanced as the realization of what was going to come slapped him in the face. Fisting his hands at his sides, he gave a short, curt nod.

"Excellent," Madara grinned. "you wouldn't want something_ unpleasant _to happen to them, now would you? Who knows, Temari is it? It would be _tragic_ if she happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time on her way to work, say, if her car seemed to be out of commission..." he trailed, a delighted glint in his eyes.

Hidan was positively livid. "You wouldn't _dare_--"

"Sasori is waiting out front for you, Hidan. It would be best for you to leave now." Pein intervened. The only indication of his own anger at the situation was the slight downwards tilt of his lips and miniscule narrowing of his eyes.

It was silent for a moment as Hidan sneered in disgust at both men before spinnging around on his heel; storming out of the room. He didn't have to look back to know that Madara was smiling malicously with amusement practically dripping from his eerie crimson eyes.

O O O

"I love their club sandwiches," Kankurou sighed happily, running a hand through his touseled brown hair in contentment.

Gaara glanced at his brother as they exited the small street-corner restraunt. "Among other things." he added with a small, mocking smirk.

Color spread over the bridge of Kankurou's nose and he coughed into his fist, turning away from his younger brother. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Right, sorry. Must have imagined the double-meanings in your words to that waitress on my own," Gaara replied, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "And I guess how she couldn't take her eyes off you was my imagination, too."

"Hibari was looking at me? Really?"

At Gaara's pointed look, Kankurou cleared his throat and looked away, feinging indifference even though Gaara could clearly see the smile twitching on his lips and pleased look of accomplishment shining on his face.

It was nearing dark now, and the two brothers walked on in amiable silence down the sidewalk--turning left on the corner to enter the partially deserted street leading to Kankurou's garage. The streetlights above the flickered omniously as stray cats and dogs mewled from the shadows. It wasn't an idle stroll in the park, but then again, it _was _the back streets of the city. There wasn't much of value or interest hidden in the grimey corners of the street, and neither felt the need to dwadle.

Kankurou glanced up at one of the flickering light posts and frowned. "I suppose it wouldn't have hurt to use the company car after all." he muttered.

"Keep that in mind next time."

"Yeah, yeah," Kankurou muttered. "What was that?"

Gaara looked up at his brother. "What was what?"

Kankurou peered into the darkening street ahead of them. "That...popping noise. You didn't hear it?" he asked, turning back to look at Gaara with a slightly apprehensive expression.

Gaara was about to shake his head when the _popping _noise came again. Turning his head, he followed Kankurou's gaze and stared down one of the streets branching into theirs' from the right. Headlights from a car were casting a faint glow on the buildings, and from the sound of screeching tires rapidly approaching, it proved to be an unsettling sight.

In seconds, two cars swerved around the opposite corner and continued barreling down the street, heading straight for Gaara and Kankurou standing frozen on the sidewalk.

O O O

Hidan ran a hand through his slicked back hair, feeling a few of the strands come loose and tickle his forhead. He payed no attention however as another gunshot 'pinged' off the outside of the car and ricocheted to places unknown.

"Grab the .50 Cal, Hidan. _Hurry up_!" Sasori snapped as he jerked the wheel of the car to shoot down a side street. "It's in the back under the seat--shit!" The car gave a sudden lurch as Sasori tried to dodge a manhole gaping in the middle of the street. "Go on, man! Shoot them!"

"I was supposed to be finished with this shit!" Hidan yelled as he scrambled into the backseat, upending the bottom and snatching out the Smith and Wesson .50 Caliber. "Where's the fucking clips! SASORI THE _CLIPS!_"

Sasori took a sharp turn, nearly flipping Hidan over the seat before yelling back, "Right beside the damn gun! Hurry your ass up before we get killed!"

"Goddamn it!"

Hidan's hands were slick with sweat as he popped in the clip and jerked back the hammer, eyes wild and chest heaving. He kept his fingers tight around the weapon while he crawled back to the passenger seat, pointing the barrel away from his body in case he slipped. Sasori's driving had Hidan's stomach lurching every which way and it was difficult to concentrate on getting the window down and leaning out far enough to get a good shot.

When he did, he narrowly missed getting his head blown off by enemy fire. "Fuck!"

Sasori glanced over at his partner and swore under his breath. "Come on, Hidan! Shoot!"

"I'm trying to, damn it!"

A loud _BANG_ exploded around them as Hidan tightened his finger on the trigger and let loose his first shot. Having been one of the best shooters in Akatsuki, he knew before the blood spattered on their followers' windshield that he had hit his target. Though he was experienced with a gun, he wasn't fully prepared for the kick-back of the Caliber and felt a sharp sting in his lower back as he collided with Sasori.

"What are you doing!" Sasori roared, shoving Hidan off of him and righting the car before they shot off the road and smashed into a building. "Keep shooting!"

"This thing has major kick! I wasn't expecting--_fuck off_!"

In seconds he was back at the window and firing off another shot blindly, trying to make them let up a bit. It didn't work. They returned fire in kind and Sasori began swearing at the top of his lungs as the bumper got peppered with bullets. "_What the hell is going on!?_" he shouted, slamming his foot on the gas and blasting them forward.

"That's what _I _would like to know!" Hidan snapped, righting himself from the second kick-back. "Why don't you call your precious _boss _and find out!"

Sasori gave Hidan a withering look before punching the controls on the dashboard. Over the screeching of the tires and roar of the engine, Hidan heard Madara's silky voice sound over the connection.

"Yes?"

"Madara, we're being fired at and chased down the backstreets. We need backup, call Kakuzu and Deidara in--"

"I'm sorry, I'm not in the position to do that at the moment."

Sasori stared incredously at the controls. "Why--"

"What the _fuck _do you mean you can't do it! You better find a way before I kick your goddamn ass!" Hidan shouted as he ducked from an onslaught of bullets shattering the back window. Sasori flinched and tried shaking their persistent followers again. They remained hot on their tail.

"This isn't some joke! Get someone down here _now_!"

"My apologies, Sasori, but my hands are tied. This mission was yours and Hidan's alone."

"This is suicide!"

"Be sure to not make too much of a mess, then."

The connection was severed.

Hidan stared across at Sasori's shocked face with a look of raw surpise and hate. "We're dead."

O O O

"Haruno! Surgery, now!"

Sakura snapped to attention and sprinted down the hallway after Shinnou, heart suddenly pounding in anticipation. Surgery was always an exciting branch of the hospital to be around, mainly because it demanded your full attention. There was no room for hesitation because it could mean the death of your patient. There was no room for any other thoughts besides those concerning the task at hand.

It was exactly what she needed.

"What's happened?"

Shinnou turned the corner quickly, barely sparing the woman on his heels a glance, before bursting through the ER doors. "From what I'm able to understand, a shoot-out. Apparently, two men were attacked by some mob organization or other in a car chase with guns and didn't stand a chance."

Sakura stared up at the doctor in horror. "Mob?"

He nodded curtly. "They're in bad shape. But that's not it," he growled, as he pushed open another door leading down a long corrider. Sakura followed quickly after. "There were two more young men caught in the crossfire. I don't know all the details, all that I am certain of at the moment is that they were shot and one was even clipped by the other two's car as it crashed."

"Oh, my God." Sakura gasped, her mouth dropping open in shock. "That's...that's horrible. Are they alive?"

"Barely," Shinnou growled. "If we don't stablize them, they will be soon. All four of them."

Sakura's steeled herself and nodded, clenching her hands at her sides. Calm. She need to be calm and together for this. Zaku and everything else could wait.

As Shinnou slammed open the doors to the surgery room, Sakura sucked in a deep breath and took a step toward the middle of the room where all the activity was centered. Nurses crowded around the table, yelling and shouting orders frantically, yet professionally. Blood stained the sheets and some of the uniforms, looking for all the world a scene straight from a horror movie.

And that's when she saw it. Through a break of the rushing nurses, a familiar shock of naturally red hair.

The suddenly sharp and painful _whoosh_-ing sound of air leaving her lungs was all Sakura could hear.

* * *

_Please disregard all spelling and grammatical errors. I read through it twice in an attempt to fix everything, but something always slips by. My _OpenOffice _is refusing to boot up for me, so I had to do it the ol' caveman way. Also, please accept my sincere apologies for the long, loooong wait for this chapter. Remember when I said Evil Laptop had blown up in my face? Well, it didn't take my threats to its database too well and it promptly shut down on me. Horray. So don't blame me, it was the Laptop this time around. But when I finally got it revived again, I sat down and spent hours upon hours at writing! And this came out! I told you guys there would be a surpise in this chapter, and walla! I wasn't lying!_

_So, I would like to know what you thought on it. Especially Sakura's little realization in Zaku's bedroom. And most specifically on Hidan and Sasori's adventure. I was so proud of myself on that part, you guys have no idea. To be honest, I know squat about guns and shooting and everything remotely related to that subject. So I needed help, and Google wasn't giving me what I needed. My brother seemed to be the perfect canidate. (grins) Now **that **was certaintly an interesting conversation and I am almost postive he thought I was planning on shooting a place up before I explained it was for fiction purposes. After giving him that little tidbit, he gave me more information easily and this was the result! I hope it turned out okay and I didn't sound like an idiot. And of course I want to know your thoughts on the end! Very interested in what you have to say!_

_Now you may review! Please._


	5. Chapter 5

A Haunting Kind Of Memory

**Chapter 5**

O O O

When she had gotten the call at work, Temari had burst into hysterics right there in front of her boss. She had been discussing an investment plan, one that would prove to be rather beneficial in the long run before heading home for the night, when her boss, Baki, stopped her and motioned for his personal assistant to enter the room from where he had been standing at the door, fidgeting. Isago whispered a quick message to him before handing the wireless telephone from his desk to Temari with slightly unsteady hands.

She was shocked at first, confused. And only after Baki gestured for her to take the call with an upset expression did she put it to her ear and answer.

The words that were spoken through the connection from the hospital drove a slicing knife through her chest and stole her breath away. She was left gasping, struggling to breathe and talk and begging to know what had happened and if everyone was okay.

"Nothing is for certain at the moment, but it would be prudent for you to come quickly. I don't mean to upset you, ma'am, but they are not looking too well at the moment."

She was sobbing uncontrollably, frantic to get to her brothers and husband with fear coursing through every crevice of her being.

Baki, having gotten the full story--what was known from the nurses, anyway--immediately ordered Isago to escort her to the hospital in the company car since she was obviously in no condition to get there herself.

Isago had agreed readily, and before Temari could comprehend what was happening he had gently wrapping his hand around her arm and was leading her out of the office, out of the building, and down into the parking lot to the car; all the while sobs wracking her body unmercifully.

"I'm sure everything will be fine, Temari-san." he said softly, though his eyes betrayed him. From what the nurse had told him, it was a miracle they were even alive at the moment. It was speculated that one of them, he wasn't sure which one, wouldn't make it through the night.

O O O

Pain was everywhere.

In every bone, every vein, every _cell_, pain invaded his senses and it was all he could do not to scream. Instead, he groaned and tried to move, only to find that it became so much worse. Every breath was agony, every tiny, miniscule movement was torture to the point that if given the choice, he would have readily have taken death if the option was offered.

He could hear people yelling and metal clanging together somewhere close by. He could smell blood, too. Which was odd because he didn't remember anything about blood. Or this pain, really. He couldn't remember anything. What was he doing here? Where _was _he?

"Give me the oxygen. Now!" He felt something snap over his face and air force itself into his mouth and nose. "Would someone hand me the damn scissors for Chrissake!? We need to get this shirt off of him!"

The sound of his shirt being shredded by blades reached his cotton filled ears and he tried to frown, only to give up as it hurt too much. But then he distantly felt them grabbing at his pants and he felt a surge of panic. The picture. _Her _picture. He had slipped it in his pocket that morning for safe-keeping since he wouldn't be around to make sure it would not be damaged.

He struggled to open his eyes and felt them water from the onslaught of white-hot pain as it exploded through his body. He tried to talk, but instead his eyes rolled back into his head and drooped partly closed. He fought back, wanting--_needing_--to know that the picture was alright. It was all he had left. His fingers tried to grasp feebly at the rough fabric on his hips, but only managed to brush against his pants before falling back to the sheeted surface beneath them.

"He's awake!" Someone cried incredulously and he felt a sharp sting in his arm, and then, numb. He couldn't feel anything anymore.

Was he dead?

O O O

"Sir! Stay still! No--we can't let you do that, sir--would you sit _down_!"

Hidan shouted hoarsely as the doctors shoved at his shoulders and strapped him back to the bed. His wild eyes flitted around the room anxiously, desperately wondering what had happened. He remembered Gaara. The car had crashed and he had felt himself flying, and then Gaara was there, leaning over him and grabbing at him.

But then there was a gunshot, and Gaara had fallen away from him. He could remember Sasori making weird, keening noises a few feet away, and there was a fire, and he thought he could remember seeing another body that reminded him sickeningly of Kankurou. But that was impossible, because Gaara and Kankurou were at the car shop. They were safe, weren't they?

One of the doctors put a restraining hand on his chest and pushed him back into the stretcher, shining a flashlight into his eyes. "He's in shock, someone give him the anesthesia."

"But, Doctor, shouldn't he be awake for this?!"

"Does it look like he's going to be compliant?"

"No, but--"

"Sir, he could die!" Another nurse cried out, holding the needle uncertainty in their hands.

Hidan gasped in sudden pain as a searing fire shot through him and his head dropped back, his entire body convulsing. He could distantly hear the nurses scrambling around and he felt sick. What was happening? A sharp prick in his arm, and then he was under, barely able to hear the doctor roar, "Do as I say!" before being completely engulfed.

O O O

Shinnou had left her not long ago, having led her to the room that held one of the patients in the accident. The one that had been clipped by the car, she learned. He looked familiar, so familiar in fact that she found herself staring at him for longer than necessary. Her heart was practically jumping out of her chest from what she had been through during the past hour and her nerves were considerably frayed.

She was still shaken by before, having seen...seen someone she knew. _Him_. But she had not had time to figure out for certain before one of the nurses was leading her by the arm to an adjoining surgery room where her current patient lay. Shinnou stormed in, barked instructions, and then left her to her own devices; knowing she could handle it on her own.

"Dr. Haruno, what do you need us to do?"

Taking a calm breath and dragging her eyes away from the familiar man on her table, Sakura turned and addressed the accompanying nurses. "Stem the blood flow on his head and chest, more than likely he has a few broken or fractured ribs, so prep for surgery immediately. Check for a concussion. And--and keep him breathing."

Now was the time to concentrate and save the man's life. There was no time to dwell on how she felt like she should remember him, how she _knew _she remembered him, just couldn't place a name with the face.

O O O

It was quiet. So very quiet, which couldn't mean anything good, he knew. Sasori was a logical man, and it was known fact that silence after a fatal crash could only mean one thing.

But it wasn't entirely quiet, since he could hear distorted voices muttering in the recesses of his hearing. So he wasn't dead. Yet. There was blackness surrounding him, and an odd calm settling over his aching limbs. He couldn't really feel himself anymore, though he was very much _there _in his skin. It was almost as if he was floating slowly away. Slipping from himself and gently following a breeze in the wind. It was almost peaceful, he supposed.

He felt as if he could stop breathing and nothing would happen, that he would be okay. So he did, and he was. Nothing happened aside from a rather annoying beeping screeching angrily from far away as he did so. It annoyed him and made him want to be defiant; to do it again. When he stopped breathing this time, the beeping sounding closer and angrier than before.

If he hadn't felt like a misty embodiment, he would have sneered in satisfaction at the beeping's aggravation. Thinking like this reminded him of Deidara and Sasori scoffed at himself, momentarily frustrated that he had acted like that twit for any length of time. He was officially spending too much time with the kid.

For a moment, Sasori allowed himself to think of Deidara and the Akatsuki and the suicide mission Hidan and himself had taken part in. Did the others know? Did they know that they were sent purposefully out to be killed, or did they think that they had just died in the line of duty for Madara? Sasori decided that if Deidara believed the latter, he would pound the kid to an inch of his life. Honestly, Sasori wasn't some two-bit newbie. None of the others could _possibly _think that he would be taken out so easily, would they? Hidan, either, for that matter.

With Madara's sway, though, it was possible that they would believe anything.

Suddenly, a sharp tug at his navel had Sasori freezing and trying to see through the darkness painting the world around him. He tried to move, to try and touch his stomach and find what had caused the sensation of falling so abruptly, but he couldn't. He was immobilized.

The pull came again and it felt as if he was going to vomit. Quite rapidly, the tugging at his navel increased to a jerking and stabbing and before Sasori could understand what was happening, his eyes shot open and he was staring up at a white ceiling; his vision dotted crimson.

Voices were suddenly increasing in pitch, like someone was turning up the volume on a radio and he was enveloped in the feeling of being stabbed with hot poker irons again and again. People dressed alike swam into view and he tried to speak, but all that came out was gurgled, wet croak.

"He's awake! He's awake, oh, thank God," Someone murmured by his head. "I thought we were going to lose him."

"Hosho, help me remove the bullet before he tries to leave us again."

"Right."

Sasori's vision melted away again as someone's warm hands gently cradled his head and a sharp prick stung his shoulder. He mentally scowled as he felt the drug take affect and he was forced into a feeling of complete numbness.

O O O

It felt like she had been pacing the waiting room for days, years even, but in reality it had only been a few hours at most. There was a regular attendee that popped in every half-hour to pass on information about her boys and the other man, but it was always the same. "They are trying."

Well trying obviously wasn't enough. She adamantly refused to believe that they couldn't make it because it was impossible. After everything that each and every one of them and endured, this couldn't be the end of it. So, Temari gritted her teeth and gave a watery glare to the attendee each and every time he entered. "Try harder," was her response, and he would only nod sympathetically and turn away.

Isago had long since left, offering his sincere wishes for her brothers and husband to make a full recovery as he did so. Baki had called and was in need of his presence, and after passing his condolences to Temari, abruptly ended the call. Isago explained that Baki wasn't much for offering comfort due to being distinctly uncomfortable in the situation, he was a man after all.

It cheered her up minutely but then she was back to fretting about her family.

The door leading to the inner-most hallways of the hospital opened and Temari immediately swung around to snap her 'try harder' demand. However, it died in her throat and she stared across the room at the elderly woman holding open the door.

"Your husband is allowed visitors, if you would like."

"Of course I would like," Temari said heatedly, her voice breaking on the last word as tears streamed down her face. The elderly woman patted her arm reassuringly as she led Temari down the hall and through a series of doors.

"What about my brothers, are they alright?" she demanded, trying to stem her tears, whiping at them furiously with her arm, her heart beating frantically in her chest.

"It's difficult to say at the moment," the old woman replied evenly, giving nothing away. "We are trying our best but--"

"But what?"

"But the extent of the damage is rather severe," she said slowly. "The youngest has a ruptured spleen thanks to the gunshot wound. Also, there seems to be deep gashes from glass on his upper body and partly on his face, along with a dislocated shoulder and broken leg. He seems to have a concussion, too. There are other minor injuries, but that is the brunt of it."

Temari choked, barely able to stand as she took in this information of Gaara's condition. "What about K-Kankurou?"

The woman sighed heavily under her breath. "The damage for him, I'm afraid, is much worse. It seems that he was clipped by the crashed car because he had pushed the youngest--"

"Gaara."

"...pushed Gaara out of the way of the car. As a result, the bumper collided with his left side and sent him hurtling a few yards away. His skull took the most damage, which is the main issue at present, and has put him in a coma. Three ribs on his left side have been broken, and one on the right fractured. His left lung was punctured by the broken ribs and blood has filled a large portion of the lung, which we are working on now. His nose has received a hairline fracture as well, and has a rather deep cut across the bridge."

"Stop," Temari sobbed. "Please, just stop, I can't take it anymore."

The woman cleared her throat and led Temari down another hallway. "Do you wish to hear of your husband?"

In all honesty, she was almost sure she wouldn't be able to handle it. Already her heart had taken three different blows at the same time with three different blades and she felt like she was dying. It was difficult to stand, even harder to breathe, and the only thing that kept her upright was the promise that she would soon be able to see _all _of her boys.

But she needed to know, in able to prepare herself.

The woman paused next to a closed door, marked 252. "He was flung from the car, through the windshield, so there was quite a bit of glass to be removed. The asphalt cut him up also, there was a lot of stitching up to do. Those should heal easily enough, and barely leave scars. However," she frowned and stared Temari straight in the eyes. "He took a blow to the head by something blunt and hard, which should have done permanent damage, but hasn't. Of course, we won't know for certain until we run some tests if there is any long-period damage or not."

Temari breathed in a shuttering breath. "Is he awake?"

The woman was silent, confusion and wonder battling in her fading eyes. "That's the curious thing, you see. Legally, this man should be dead."

Temari sucked in a sharp breath.

"Not only was the hit to the head hard enough to kill a grown horse, there was also a jagged slice of glass piercing through his chest to his heart." she continued. "Now, I'm not a very religious woman, but this situation is making a believer out of me. It's scientifically impossible for him to be _breathing _right now, much less being awake and demanding answers about his companions like it never happened."

Temari leaned heavily against the wall and braced her arms behind her, staring wide-eyed at her feet. "Religious fanatic...crazy...he's crazy..." she mumbled brokenly to herself, confused and terrified.

The old woman raised a brow at Temari's mutterings and shifted on her tired feet. "I don't know that crazy is too far off the mark, but as sure as I am that my name is Agari Giichi, that man is lucky to be alive. Of course he isn't out of the woods yet, there is still some internal damage that needs to be attended too, but it's not life-threatening and he needs to be calmed down before we take him back to surgery. Which is where you come in."

Nodding absently, Temari allowed herself to be gently pulled away from the wall and led into the room by Agari.

O O O

He was staring up at the ceiling, trying to stop himself from imagining the worst, when he heard the door open. Immediately he jerked into a sitting postion and glared at the door, ready to start shouting again. He was immediately rendered speechless when his eyes clashed with a familiar pair of watery teal eyes that seemed to hold more power of him than anything else in the world.

His heart seized up in his chest and for a moment he felt like he was going to pass out as no air seemed to be able to make its way through his body. His fingers felt numb and his jaw clenched shut, eyes wide and reflecting every thought and every filling imaginable. He saw her bottom lip quiver, and then a broken, strangled sob broke from her lips as she sprinted across the room and fell into his lap, crying and gasping heavily.

"I-I was so s-scared--d-don't you d-d-dare...G-Gaara and Ka-nkurou...I th-thought you were all--d-d-de--" her voice hitched, unable to speak the word and Hidan swallowed, suddenly aware of his dry throat.

Her hands clutched his waist as her face pressed against his stomach, trembling all over and refusing to release him. Good. He didn't want her too because he felt like if she did he would completely lose it. Instead, he wound his arms around her and lifted her onto the bed with him (not without difficulty due to his battered state) and grimaced in pain as his wounds stung painfully at the movements. She wept harder as he cradled her against him and rocked her back and forth like a small child, all the while pressing his face into the soft skin of her neck and inhaling deeply.

He had almost lost this. Had almost lost _her _because he had been stupid enough to join the fucking Akatsuki in the first place. Jashin, he had put her through hell, and what's worse, he had hurt her brothers as well.

"I'm sorry," he whispered against her skin, clutching at her tighter. "I'm so fucking sorry, this wasn't supposed to happen. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It was a suicide mission, I had no choice," he buried his face against her and breathed in shakily, tasting her on his tongue as he did. The realization of how easy it was to lose her seemed to knock the breath out of him and rip away the ground beneath his feet in the same moment. "He threatened you, I had no choice. I couldn't let it happen, I'm sorry, it was an accident." he said dazedly. "I'm sorry, so sorry, Temari. Please...Oh, God, please..."

He didn't even know what he was asking for.

Temari cried harder and threaded her fingers through his messy silver hair, kissing his cheek and forehead and eyes and throat, every inch of skin she could reach that was not bandaged over from stitches as she sensed him coming apart at the seams. Her heart slammed against her ribs like a wild animal and it hurt so much.

"I'm h-here, now...you're safe..."

He opened his eyes and stared at her as she rested her forehead against his own. "What's happened to Gaara and Kankurou?" he whispered, feeling a twinge of fear at her pain-filled expression.

"They are still in surgery."

Hidan swallowed and ducked his head away from hers, hiding his face. She felt him tremble against her, and then felt a hot, wet sensation on her shoulder. As fresh tears spilled over her splotched cheeks, she prayed to whatever deity was watching over them that they would make it through this, that they would all live to see tomorrow.

O O O

It was the longest night of her life by far.

"Sakura-san, the heart monitor has stabilized, you've done it." Sekka said in a relieved tone, his lips curing into a tired smile.

Sakura rocked back on her heels, eyes glazed over with exhaustion as she observed her work. The patient was indeed stabilized, with stitches and bandages covering a large portion of his chest, and wrapped around his head, too, in order to have a bandage over his head wound on the left side above his ear. There were even three stitches on his nose, and a splint for the hairline fracture there. Already she could see purple bruises forming under his eyes from the injury.

What bothered her most, though, was that it was painfully obvious she knew him from somewhere, and she still couldn't figure out how.

"Sekka, go inform Shinnou-sama of this. I need...I need to check something."

"Alright." Sekka replied warily before turning and leaving the room. Sakura soon followed after with a final glance to the familiar man, and entered into a different room than Sekka where the bustle of activity was in full blast.

"Stop dawdling, I say! Hand me some gauze, he's bleeding out!" Sakura watched as Chiyo barked instructions as she bent over the patient on her table. She stayed in the shadows, making sure to stay out of the working nurses' way and out of sight from Chiyo. There was only one reason why she was in this room.

She had to know.

With her heart pounding unsteadily in her chest, Sakura edged around the room and peered through a gap in the workers. A glimpse of blood-stained skin was all she could see. Swallowing nervously, she stepped out from the corner and edged along the wall around the machines for a closer look. She was almost gasping for air now as she neared the table unnoticed, her brilliant green eyes wide and terrified for what she might find.

"Sakura! What are you doing in here?! Never mind, here, take this and keep the blood from rushing out, I need to remove the bullet before we lose him." Chiyo said, sharp black eyes blazing with intensity as she jerked Sakura to her side and forced her to hold onto the tongs that were pressing a thick wad of gauze to the patients' abdomen next to a gaping gunshot wound.

It was inevitable that she look at his face, and when she did, Sakura nearly bolted from the room. She screamed his name. "Gaara?!"

* * *

_Alright, so I'm not entirely happy with this chapter. In fact, it kind of frustrates me for some reason. I feel like it's half finished, if that makes any sense, but I didn't know where to go with it anymore. It was just...stuck, I guess. Not wanting to go anywhere else._

_On to other things! I really hope it wasn't too out of character for Hidan in this chapter. But you got to understand, he almost died (legally, should be dead but I'm kind of recreating the immortality thing here into AU since he can't really be immortal), Temari's life was threatened, and Gaara, Kankurou, and Sasori were all put in danger even if it's not all his fault. He's still part of it, and he's pretty much freaking out over the whole thing. _

_Also, I forgot to mention this yesterday along with some other things. None of the characters in this story so far are OC. I get all the extra people from _Narutopedia, the Naruto Encyclopedia - a Wika wiki._ So, from the last chapter, Hibari is also from the anime. As well as from this chapter--Isago, Hosho, Agari Giishi (actually, her name is just Agari and her husband's name is Giishi, but I figured she need a last name so I used her husband's as a surname) and Sekka. I try to match the these characters to actual discriptions from the anime. Like, Isago is truly Baki's assisstant in _Naruto _and I believe that Hosho and Sekka are both really medical personel from Konoha. Agari on the other hand is the only misplaced one, since she has nothing to do with the medical field in the show. In _Naruto _she is actualy just a wife in the Land of Waves. And Hibari was a fellow student of Konohamaru's back when he had first met Naruto. I believe she is about three, maybe four years younger than Kankurou. So, there you have it!_

_And here's something for you guys to dwell on that I discovered after being yanked back into the Harry Potter fandom. Ever notice that Draco Malfoy has a striking resemblance to Hidan in his first two years at Hogwarts? He was so adorable! It's little Hidan hellspawn! Kyah!_

_Last but not least, Merry Christmas everyone! (and review of course!)_


	6. Chapter 6

A Haunting Kind Of Memory

**Chapter 6**

O O O

Sakura's head was screaming and wailing and raging and shredding itself to pieces while on the outside the only hint of what she was going through was the misting of her eyes and her pallor complexion. More than once, Chiyo had to snap Sakura back to attention from zoning out with sharp words and firm hands gripping her shoulders. But it was nearly impossible to stay focused when he was under her hands, bleeding out onto her skin, staining her and marking her.

It had been hours since she had first walked in and discovered him, recognized him, and finally put a name to the face of the other patient. She had had a long time to think--hence her zoning out--and was somewhat calmer, though she was still on the verge of bolting from the room and screaming her head off. She was still shaking and biting her lip to keep from saying his name again.

She had received odd looks from screaming it out in the beginning.

And her heart had taken to beating unsteadily and so fast that she found it a miracle it hadn't combusted or completely stopped yet.

"Sakura, here, put this in the pan," Chiyo instructed, handing her the tongs gripping the blood drenched bullet. The lacerations to the spleen and surrounding tissue and muscles were deep and deadly, and it was going to take another hour or so to fix as much of the damage as possible. The rest would have to heal on its own.

Sakura turned away from the table, taking the moment to inhale deeply a few times, before dropping the bullet into a small tin pan with a 'ping'.

Chiyo glanced up as she came back to the table and frowned. "The worst is over, why don't you go check on the driver."

"Okay," Sakura replied in a raw voice and eagerly turned away; a part of her still held fast to the metal rods of his bed, refusing to part.

Out in the hall, Sakura stood for a moment and fought back tears of frustration and keeping the anguished screams in her throat. She was so confused. She was mad and spiteful that he had turned up in her life again, but scared, worried, terrified and miserable for the way he had shown up. It would have been so much simpler if he had just walked by her on the street. It would have been easier to pass him by without a thought.

It would have been _easier _to never see him again, but apparently that was asking for too much.

O O O

"Inaho? What are you doing in here?"

Sakura frowned gently and watched as the young nurse stood abruptly from her seat and ran a hand nervously through her short brown hair, avoiding Sakura's curious eyes.

"I-I...nothing, I was just..." she glanced around the room before sighing and shrugging her shoulders. "He looked lonely, is all. I thought he might like some company."

Sakura, grateful for the distraction from Gaara, shut the door behind her and walked further into the room. Inaho bit her lip and fidgeted on the spot, alternating between watching Sakura as she checked the man's vitals and watching the man himself. Sakura found it slightly amusing.

"Has he awaken at all?" she asked, glancing at Inaho over her shoulder.

Inaho started, having been distracted watching the man. "Oh! Oh, no, he hasn't. He did stir a bit before...but he hasn't regained consciousness yet."

Sakura muttered under breath incoherently before looking down at the man, really _looking _at him, and was shocked. His red hair snapped her throat closed, having for a moment believe that he was someone else, but then she breathed easily once more as she looked at his unbruised eyes. It wasn't Gaara, it was someone else entirely. Still, the resemblance was disconcerting and she decided she didn't want to be in the room anymore.

"I'll leave him to you, then, Inaho. Make sure he's comfortable and..." she smiled to herself. "and keep him company."

A light pink flushed dusted the bridge of Inaho's nose and she turned her face away, voicing her assent before Sakura left the room. Out in the hall, she was stopped by someone calling her name and for one wild moment she thought it might be Gaara. But it wasn't when she whipped around, and she knew that she needed to go home because she was starting to hear and see him everywhere.

"Sakura," Ugai called again, walking briskly down the hall with something clutched in his beefy hand. As he approached, Sakura had the distinct impression he was assessing her shrewdly from behind his wire framed glasses and tensed under his sharp gaze.

When he stopped in front of her, she asked, "What is it, does Chiyo-sama need me back in surgery?" She sincerely hoped not.

"No, no. Not exactly," he said, and she allowed herself a brief moment of relief. "But we found something. On the young man, I mean."

Curious, she glanced at what Ugai was holding in his large hand before meeting his eyes once more. "Is that what you found?"

"Er...yes, it is." He didn't offer it up and Sakura frowned impatiently.

"Can I see it?"

He handed it to her and his eyes sparked with a curious intensity. "Sure."

O O O

Sometimes in his dreams he was allowed to go back. It was nicer in his dreams, he wasn't so bitter and angry and he preferred things this way then to how things had really been like. In his dreams he was allowed to touch her gently and softly like he had always wanted, but hadn't because of a deep carnal instinct that would always prevent it. When he was asleep, she wanted him just as much as he wanted her and there was no hurtful words from him to cut her down. Only soft reassurances and apologies for what he had done, and promises that he would never do it again if she would only forgive him.

She always did. She would always kiss his scar and his eyes and his lips and then gently caress him with the soft touch he had been craving and desperately needing for so long. He would sigh and breathe easily and hold her close, ghost his fingers over her soft skin, whisper her name over and over again in an attempt to bring the dream to life.

But he would wake up shortly after hearing her breathe his name in return, filling that one word with so much emotion his head would spin.

It had to have been hours since he had last been awake. He had the distinct feeling that he had been asleep for far too long and that things had happened without him knowing. He didn't fully appreciate that, and frowned to himself. So, with more strength than he would normally use, he opened his eyes; and immediately snapped the shut once more.

The light was blindingly bright, and he groaned throatily as his pupils dilated painfully behind his eyelids. After a moment, he tried again and felt slightly apprehensive to find that the room was relatively dark and there was no reason for his eyes to have hurt in the first place. Feeling put out for some reason, Gaara opened his eyes all the way and blinked a few times.

A startled gasp followed this and he tried to find the source of the noise. Abruptly a face popped into his view and if he hadn't been practically thrumming with dulled pain, he would have flinched back.

"Gaara? Gaara, are you awake?" It was Temari, and she looked positively frantic with worry and grief. Gaara had never seen his sister so...so _scared _before. It reminded him of a leaf barely hanging onto its tree limb in the winter months when it was inevitable that the leaf fall off. It was disturbing, Temari had always been strong and confident, and to see this, her frightened beyond the point of understanding, was making his stomach churn uncomfortably.

But it wasn't just seeing her that made his stomach hurt, there was something stinging there. And the stinging was getting worse the more he dwell it.

"...said you might feel some pain and that you might not remember everything for a few days." Temari had been saying, and Gaara turned his eyes back to hers with a worried frown. What had she been talking about?

When he tried to talk, to ask her to repeat herself, he choked and stared, bewildered, up at his sister. Something was over his mouth and down his throat, he couldn't speak and he _shouldn't _be able to breathe with that thing sticking in him but he was.

Temari brushed back the fringe of his hair reassuringly as she sniffed and wiped away a few stray tears with her sleeve. "Don't worry, okay? That tube is helping you breathe and sucking out the stray blood that leaked into your lungs. You have to keep the mask and it on."

_What happened to me?_ he tried to ask her, but only choked again and saw spots dance in front of his eyes. Temari stood and leaned over him, shushing him and holding his face in her hands.

"You were in an accident, you might not be able to remember for a little while. But you're okay now, you're going to be fine, the doctor said so." Her voice broke when she said 'fine', and she teared up again. "Oh, Gaara, I thought I was going to lose all of you...don't you _ever _scare me like that again, do you hear me!?" she hissed, and she would've been relatively scary if it weren't for fat tears streaming over her flushed cheeks.

Gaara blinked and tried to move his hand to take hers, to reassure her somehow. She saw the movement and immediately sat on her chair beside the bed and took his hand between both of hers. They were warm and chased away the cold from his own.

"Hidan's awake, too. He was the first out of surgery last night. He...he told me that he saw you, and he wanted to speak with you when you feel you're up to it." She looked away from him, chewing her bottom lip. "Kankurou's not awake yet," His hand tightened around hers and she looked up at him morosely. "he's in a coma, and they don't know how long it will be before he...before he w-wakes up." she said thickly and pulled back to wipe her tears away again.

He had been in an accident and Kankurou and Hidan were both injured, too. Hidan was, apparently okay, but Kankurou...

Gaara screwed his eyes shut as a pang stabbed the side of his head. He could remember flashes of the accident, but nothing would stay solid. As soon as he felt himself remembering something, it melted away to the shadows of his mind and refused to be seen again so soon.

"The doctor said they would take the tube out later today, since your lungs are better now," Temari said, giving him a watery smile when he opened his eyes. "Kankurou is wearing one too, but his has to stay in for a little while, there was more damage to his lungs."

Gaara frowned and gave a tiney shake of his head, trying to tell her that Kankurou was going to be fine. She didn't need to worry like this, they had been through worse, hadn't they? Their entire family had been through more ups and downs than was mentally possible, and they had survived it, right? He wanted to convince her of this, but he was trying to convince himself, too. Kankurou was his brother, a part of him, and if...if Kankuoru left, Gaara felt that a part of him would disappear and he would be a shell again. Like he had been under the influence of that Mercital drug he was subjected to in the asylum.

After a moment, Temari started biting her bottom lip again and avoided his eyes. "There's something else, Gaara," she said quietly, furrowing her brows and gripping his fingers firmly. "I saw someone earlier on my to your room." When she looked back at him, her blue-green eyes were hard and calculative. "Do you remember Sak--"

"Hello, Mr. Sabaku--Oh! You must be his sister, Temari, right?"

Temari twisted in her seat and nodded to the nurse standing in the doorway with a clipboard. She smiled warmly at Temari as she made her way over and started checking the machines and tubes running around and into Gaara. "Quite a fighter, you are, Sabaku-san. Thought we were going that bullet was going to take you away from us, but you didn't give up." she said nonchalantly as she fixed his sling on his shoulder.

Gaara stared up at her with widened eyes. _Bullet?_

The nurse glanced down at him and quirked an amused brow at his expression. Turning to Temari, she asked, "You haven't told him about his injuries yet?"

Temari shook her head and stepped away as the nurse moved closer to Gaara's side. "Well, then, I'll just tell you, how's that? Let's see," she mumbled and scanned her clipboard. With a bright smile she turned back to Gaara. "As you know, you were shot in the stomach area and the bullet pierced your spleen. It ruptured, naturally, and we had to operate immediately. Now _that _was nerve-wracking, lemme tell you. You began having these little fits on the table, making it right difficult to get in there and remove the bullet."

Luckily, Chiyo-sama is one of the best doctors around and she fixed you up real nice. You also had a dislocated shoulder, I set that myself," she grinned happily, confident of her work. "You're leg is broken, though, and Hosho gave you a pretty black cast to wear. He said you can get your friends to sign it with silver Sharpies to make it look cool. There's some cuts on your face and chest, and a bit on your arms as well from the cars' windshield, but those shouldn't bother you much aside from a little sting now and then..."

By the time she had finished talking, Gaara had a raging headache and wished she would just leave. There was only so much squeaky talking he could take from her and frankly, he wanted his sister to tell him who she had met in the hallway. It had seemed rather important, she was upset by it obviously. More than anything, though, he wanted his picture back.

He was almost certain that they had taken it since his jeans were gone and replaced by hospital clothes. It took a considerable amount of willpower not to struggle, and he was sure that being exhausted and in pain had something to do with him staying put. But he wanted his picture. Without it, he couldn't think straight and his heart would not stop pounding, which the nurse noticed by now and was trying to talk to him in a soothing voice to calm him down.

She thought he was getting worked up over this whole ordeal, and that might have had some influence on it, but was not entirely it by a long shot. That picture was all he had. If he didn't have it, it was like she was never real in the first place, and to think like that was physically painful.

"You could do with some rest, I think," the nurse finally said, exasperated. "You're husband was looking for you, I just came from there, and I'm about to check on the driver." she told Temari. "Until later, Sabaku-san."

O O O

"Mom?"

"Yes, honey?"

Kankurou frowned and watched his mother walk across the playground to reach him. When she was close enough, she reached out a gentle hand and ran her fingers through his mussed hair affectionately as he balanced himself on the toddler jungle gym. He tightened his small hands on the metal and stopped swinging his legs. Something felt...weird. For a split second he thought he was supposed to be bigger than this. So big that the jungle gym would only reach the top of his shoulders, like his mom.

But that was impossible, because he was only seven. He was small, not big. He wouldn't be big like Mom for a while.

_Mom is supposed to be dead._

His eyes started to water as the thought passed through his head and he looked up at his mom with bright eyes. "I don't want Momma to be dead," he hiccuped. "I want Momma to stay with me."

She smiled worriedly at him, her eyes confused. "Mommy's not dead, darling. I'm right here, with you. I'll always be with you."

_But you're not supposed to be._

O O O

The food was fucking terrible, he decided, and promptly shoved it away from him while fighting the urge to vomit what he had managed to swallow back onto the tray. It he _ever _was given a bowl of oatmeal with chopped carrots and eggplant again, he was going to kill someone. The sticky mess in his mouth sat on his tongue like a lead weight and he grimaced in disgust. How could they give their _patients _this slop? It was hardly fit for a dog.

"Dr. Chiyo told me the police will be here sometime this evening to talk to you, and Gaara if he's able." Temari said, stabbing Hidan's jello with his plastic spork. "What are you going to tell them?"

Hidan swallowed thickly and looked out the window at the orange sun making its way slowly to the middle of the sky. "I don't know. The truth, I guess. That's what you want me to do, isn't it?"

Temari frowned and put down the spork. "I would like you to tell _me _the truth."

"I can't."

"And why the fuck not?!"

Hidan stared at his wife with wide eyes, not used to her using such vulgar language. Sure, he used it on a daily basis and his bad habit was bound to rub off on her at some point, but he wasn't so sure he liked it. She was too pretty to talk like that. Hidan scowled at her and shook his head, getting angrier as his hair fell over his eyes.

With a growl, he swiped back the strands only to have them flop back in his face once more. Temari snorted and when he looked at her, she was red faced and clamping a hand over her mouth to stifle her laughing.

"What?" he demanded.

She shook her head, and took her hand away from her mouth. "You look like a cherub."

He stared at her incredulously. "Did you just call me a fucking baby-face?"

"I did."

"Jashin, woman," he huffed. "I'm _not _a baby-face!"

Temari laughed out loud and turned her face away, trying to gain control of her giggles desperately. She figured it was just the stress getting to her. In short, she was just losing her mind. No big deal.

When she had regained her composure, she turned back to Hidan and talked to him idly for a moment about mundane things. He seemed to have taken a blatant dislike for carrots and eggplant, and oatmeal in general and made her promise that she would never fix it for him _ever. _She agreed only if he promised to never scare her again. He promised.

"I need to know what happened, Hidan. I deserve that much."

He sighed and looked down at his lap, tracing a few scars left behind by the windshield slicing him on his way flying out. He had a few on his face, too. They weren't so bad, he decided. In fact, he was quite fond of one that cut from the middle of his left cheek to the bottom of his jaw. Temari had commented that it made him look more 'manly', and Hidan discovered that she was sucker for battle scars.

"I know you do, but I don't want to put you in danger."

She bristled. "Are you saying I can't take care of myself?"

"No! No, fuck woman, you can knock me three ways from Sunday, I _know _you can handle yourself."

"Then what's the problem?"

He hesitated before replying quietly, "I don't want to take the risk."

Temari sighed and leaned over the bed, pressing her lips gently to his and drawing him into a sensual, intimate kiss. His lips were firm but compliant beneath hers, and she just about burst into tears again at the knowledge that she could've lost him so easily the night before. She pulled away after she felt his tongue brush against her lip, much to Hidan's frustration because he felt he needed her now more then ever, and not just in _that _way. He was still very much terrified that she was going to disappear from him.

"This entire relationship was a risk, _is _a risk. I knew what I was getting into when I agreed to marry you and we made vows to tell each other everything. Do not keep secrets from me, Hidan. Whatever happened will not change how I feel about you." she said firmly, staring at him with hard eyes.

He couldn't resist her, not when she was demanding like this. Not when she was so right. "Alright," he said finally. "Okay, just...just answer me a few things first?"

"What?"

"Have you seen Sasori yet?"

She shook her head. "I'm not family, they won't let me in to see him. I don't even know if he's awake."

Hidan contemplated her answer for a second before looking back up at her. "I need to talk to Sasori before I tell you everything." At her angered and hurt expression he added quickly, "Just to get the story straight, I can't remember everything and Sasori has answers that I don't. I won't to tell you everything, the entire truth, but I can't do that if I don't know it myself."

It hardly did anything to comfort her, but Temari nodded nonetheless and stood. Running her fingers through his hair she turned and walked to the door. "I'll see what I can do," she sighed. "And eat your food or I'm going to call in a nurse to spoon feed you, baby-face."

Hidan scowled, but grinned as the door shut behind her. Jashin, was he in over his head for that woman.

* * *

_Was that better than the last chapter? I didn't feel so obligated to fix something in this one as the last, so hopefully it doesn't feel that way to you guys either. I hope you understood Kankurou's little part, too. Just in case you didn't, I 'll explain, okay? Since he's in a coma, I decided to let him 'dream' about a place that he would probably like to be the most. With his late mother. But to make it understandable that it wasn't just flashback of his, I put in those thoughts about his mom supposed to be dead. If you still don't understand, then include that in your review and I'll try to explain it better. Again, there are no OCs in this story. All the characters' names given can be found on the Naruto wikia._

_I forget to do the disclaimer every time, so I'm just going to put it here and then that's it, okay? I do not own Naruto, all characters in this fiction belong to its rightful owner. I only own the plot. Thank you._

_So this was supposed to actually be posted at three o'clock this morning but my spellcheck program was effed up again, so I had to restart my computer and I fell asleep while it was doing that (sweatdrop). Hopefully you can forgive me! I would really appreciate any feed back you guys can offer, so don't hold back. Please review and see you next time! Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!_


	7. Chapter 7

A Haunting Kind Of Memory

**Chapter 7**

O O O

"Fuck, woman!" Hidan hissed as Temari dashed into an empty room as a horde of nurses passed by in the hall. "Can't you drive at all?"

"Oh, I'm _so _sorry that I can't control a wheelchair with my injured husband in a friggin' _hospital _as I try to sneak him into a room to talk to his friend!" she snapped back and kicked him in the shin. "Shut-up and quit talking! I can't hear who's in the hall!"

Hidan scowled and rubbed his sore leg, realizing just how alike the family was he had married into. "Shit, you all have a fetish for kicking people in the shins, or something?" he muttered, but at Temari's murderous glare, quickly shut his mouth and didn't speak anymore until she carefully wheeled him out of the room.

A young woman passed by them in the hall, thankfully not an orderly Temari noted with relief, and smiled secretively at them. "Aw," she sighed under her breath, eyes dreamy. "You two make such a lovely couple."

Hidan opened his mouth for a smart remark but was cut off as Temari wrapped her arms around his neck from behind and squeezed. To the woman it looked like he was receiving an affectionate hug, but in reality, Hidan's windpipe was abruptly closed and he struggled in his wife's hold.

"That's very sweet of you to say," Temari giggled (Hidan paused in his fight to stare up at her like she had lost her mind because in the years he had known her, she had _never _giggled) and waved at the woman as they continued on their way. "Have a good day!"

Temari abruptly released him and stalked down the hall toward the room where she had discovered Sasori lay. Hidan coughed and sputtered, hands cradling his abused throat before fixing his violet eyes on the blonde woman.

"Crazy! You're crazy!" he hissed. "Are you trying to fucking kill me?!"

She smacked him on the back of the head. "No! Because _apparently _you already tried to do that yourself yesterday and it won't seem original if I have a go!"

Despite her angered words, Hidan fought back a grimace at how sincere she sounded. Of course she would be deeply upset by the accident, from what she had told him before wheeling him out of his room she had been in hysterics. He hated that he had hurt her, but he was sure of one thing. He'd make it up to her somehow.

And, hopefully, Sasori would provide the answers of how to do just that.

O O O

Her fingers trembled as they clutched the picture and her throat closed, threatening to suffocate her if she didn't figure out a way to inhale some air soon. But it seemed next to impossible as she paced the foot of the bed; _his _bed.

From what his nurse had told her, he had been in pain and they had given him something to help him sleep. Sakura had almost felt the need to inform her that he didn't like to sleep that much, that he probably didn't appreciate getting forced into sleep and that next time they should _ask _before they inject him with a needle. The last time she had seen someone force a dosage on him they had received a broken nose for their troubles.

On realizing what she was thinking, rather bitterly, Sakura had immediately backed off and nodded--watching as the young woman left the room with a curious look on her face, probably thinking Sakura had gone off the deep end.

Which probably wasn't too far from the truth.

"I just wish...you shouldn't've...God, you're _always _where I never want you to be--" she muttered brokenly to herself, thoughts racing in a continuous circle.

Sakura glanced at him quickly, not daring to let her gaze linger, and took in his once-sharp features. She remembered how fierce he used to look, as if cut from stone, but somehow his face had softened. He didn't look so hateful anymore.

In fact, he looked a little more like his sister.

_We're grateful for what you did for him, Sakura._

That's what _she_ had said; Temari--when Sakura had seen her before coming to this room. The older woman had seemed stiff and wary, which didn't surprise Sakura in the least. It was her knowledge that Temari had been in danger of not losing just one brother, but _both _of them _and _her husband.

If that wasn't enough to make you a little off then she didn't know what was.

Sakura paused and swallowed, closed her eyes, and spun on her heel to where she was facing him. _Just...just open your eyes. _She tried but couldn't as a sudden feeling of panic clogged itself in her chest. Her fingers stroked the creased picture of herself and him from two years ago self-consciously, trying to gain some semblance of strength. All this time he had kept the photo, and for what? Why?

Her heart gave an involuntary shudder--

"...Mmgh..."

--and stopped altogether at the muffled noise coming from his bed.

Her eyes snapped open despite her screaming objections and Sakura felt her lungs squeeze out the little air she had managed to breathe in in one painful and abrupt clench. Glazed, confused, brilliant jade-green eyes stared at her from across the room and slowly, as she watched with a wide, unblinking stare, recognition and shock brightened those once unfathomably cold eyes.

Her vision blurred as her eyes stung with unshed tears. Her hand covered her mouth as she choked on a shaky, unsteady breath and the hand that held the picture went limp, allowing the picture to float gently to the linoleum floor.

"I...I-I can't--" she gasped and quickly spun on her heel and ran from the room, tears spilling over her eyes and down her cheeks.

Gaara could only watch as she ran out of his life for the second time, his heart slamming unmercifully against his chest.

O O O

"Holy fuck..."

Sasori rolled his eyes and tried to reposition his self, stopping immediately when a surge of white-hot pain shot through every bone in his body.

"So, you're saying that Madara knew this was going to happen?" Hidan continued, eyes wide and mouth hanging open. "He sent us out there to _kill _us?!"

"What did you expect?" Sasori snapped, his temper flaring due to his inability to sit up, eat by himself, and hell, he couldn't even take a piss without some form of assistance--as if not being able to hold a fork wasn't degrading enough.

This was just torture.

"I know you knew it was a suicide mission when he came over the phone before we crashed. Even you're not that incomprehensible, Hidan."

Hidan fixed his friend with a glare. "Do you know _why_? He can't just decide he wants us dead on a whim--"

"Can't he?"

"Are fucking serious?! When as he _ever _did this, huh? When has Madara ever just picked one of us to die and sent him out straight to his death?"

Sasori gave him a withering look. "You do realize, Hidan, who you are talking about, don't you? Do you have any inkling of what that man is capable of? You better be grateful you are even alive right now. Once Madara decides he wants someone dead, they die, end of story. Us being alive right now is nothing short of a miracle--_don't _interrupt me," he growled when Hidan opened his mouth to retort. "The best thing for us to do right now would be just to disappear. No doubt he's gotten word of the accident by know thanks to reporters, but there is still time to slip away."

Hidan snapped his mouth shut, eyes ablaze with silent rage. His jaw muscles contracted as he ground his teeth together and his fist clenched and unclenched in his lap. Run? Like a fucking pansy? Oh, he didn't thinks so!

"Think of Temari, Hidan," Sasori said quietly, his wine coloured eyes fixed on the window, refusing to meet Hidan's suddenly intense stare. "Don't you think she has been through enough already?"

The only reason Hidan didn't shout or yell foul words about cowardice to the man laying in the bed in front of him, didn't slug him right in the jaw for bringing Temari into this (for reminding him of his lead-heavy guilt weighing on his chest) was simple enough. It was an unspoken agreement between the two men that, where Temari was concerned, they tread lightly.

Simply because of emotion.

Sasori was not, and had never been, a transparent man. He was full of twists and turns and dead ends and hesitations. It was in his nature to push people away, but he was human and there was one thing that humans craved most. They craved the company of another, eventually. They sought the understanding and comfort of companionship that came with being friends or lovers or whatever else society decided to label it.

He was no exception, and Sasori had been a master at schooling his feelings and emotions into impassiveness once. There was one flaw, however, and that flaw had glimmering teal eyes, a feisty attitude and the sharpest of tongues. It had been hard to ignore her, getting more difficult over time and especially when Hidan had shown the same symptoms.

Sasori had been bitter and resentful toward the Jashinist for the longest of times for having the ability to say what he felt, to be able to wear his heart on his sleeve without qualms or repercussions. It had gotten so bad at one point that the two were in danger of having the worst of fall outs in which one would most likely lose their life.

But Hidan had figured it out and had stopped butting heads with the jaded red-head soon after. He promised to never breathe a word to Temari, it would be buried beneath them if Sasori could only let it go.

He did, in the end. Sasori let the resentment go only because he could see that no matter what he did, it wouldn't change anything. Temari was completely taken with Hidan, and he wouldn't break it because in their line of work it was an act of God if one of them found something even remotely close to what the couple had.

"Love isn't meant for people like us," He remembered saying to Hidan on the day they agreed to put it behind them. "but on the off chance that we find it, you can never let it go. It's like art, lasting in it's significance and wondrous beauty." He had sounded dark and murderous when he continued. "I won't stop, Hidan. I can't. If you hurt her, I _will _kill you."

So, knowing why Sasori made him remember his wife standing right outside the door, Hidan could only glare at the floor. He wouldn't dream of putting Temari in harm's way, he would rather die himself then ever see her hurt by something _he _could have prevented. It was his responsibility as a husband and as someone who loved her.

But..."We can't go anywhere, you're bedridden." he finally managed in hoarse tone. "Me for the next three days, you for the next week."

He saw Sasori scowl darkly at the window. "This isn't going to end well."

"Ever regret joining in the first place?" Hidan sighed heavily. "I sure as hell do. Biggest fucking mistake of my life."

"...every day."

Silence ensued before Hidan leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "Alright, then. What are we gonna do? The police will question us, and I for one can't remember jackshit about what happened. 'Course I remember the gist of it, but after the crash, it's all fuzzy."

Sasori closed his eyes and relaxed back into his bed. "Doesn't matter. All they will want to know is what happened _before _the wreck...and we can't tell them that."

"Why?" Hidan demanded incredulously. "What's--oh, right. That could be a problem."

"It could get us years in prison if Madara's men don't kill us first if we nark."

"Shit...okay, how 'bout this. We were just driving along and then this huge ass car starts barreling towards us, shooting up a fucking riot and--"

"Hidan."

"What?"

"Shut-up."

O O O

Temari paced outside the door for what felt like hours before she heard the distinct noise of Hidan's wheelchair creaking across the floor. She wrenched it open immediately and glared at the two men staring at her from inside the room. Not wasting any time, she stomped in and shut the door firmly behind her.

"Well? Are either of you going to tell me what's going on or am I going to have to castrate you with a rusty knife?"

Hidan paled considerably while Sasori, ever the impassive agent, settled for raising his brows well past his crimson fringe.

"Damn, woman!" Hidan sputtered. "That's not even remotely funny!"

She rolled her eyes and moved to sit in the chair next to Sasori's bed. "Quit your hissing and tell me what's going on."

Hidan took his time in rolling back to her side in the wheelchair, staring pointedly at Sasori as he did. After all, it was his idea, let him explain it. When neither spoke, Temari stiffened in her chair and fixed them both with a deadly glare, making sure to burn straight to the centers with her eyes in the most intimidating way possible.

It worked. Hidan gulped and watched her with a wary eye as he started to speak. "Well, it's Sasori's idea, so he's gonna fill you in. I might fuck it up."

Temari snorted derisively and Sasori rolled his eyes heavenward as if asking 'why me?'.

It took a little over half an hour to explain the situation and even longer to lay out the foundation of a plan that they hoped would work. A few times Sasori's appointed nurse, Inaho the discovered, would interrupt and it took clever thinking on Temari's part to get them out of the sticky situation. But, thankfully, the young woman seemed too enamored by Sasori himself to give much thought on just why two non-family members were in the same room as him.

After relaying everything that Hidan and he had discussed, Sasori relaxed back into the stiff hospital mattress and eyed Temari with a calculating gaze. A small part of him wished she would just leave because what he had said to Hidan so long ago still rang true. He still cared for her and it still stung with her so near.

"Do you think this will work? I mean, this _is _the police, remember?"

"I'm well aware."

Temari gave Sasori a gouging once-over. "It's not you that I worry messing the story up."

"Oy, I'm not going to fuck _this _up!" Hidan shouted indignantly and immediately ducked the fist Temari aimed at his skull.

"Shut-_up_!" she hissed. "They will get suspicious if they catch us, you idiot!"

"Hidan is good at deception, there is no need to worry about his part in this, Temari." She turned her hard eyes on him and despite her trying to hide it, Sasori could see the worry and fear rippling just beneath the surface. He sighed and carefully lifted a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, being careful of the bandages.

Lord, he wanted them to leave. He could feel that all too familiar bitter jealousy burning in his belly and what was worse is that she had no _idea _of how he felt. She never would, and it was better that way. That's what he told himself, anyway.

"Nothing will compromise the plan, everything will be fine. Now go before one of the doctors decide to check in. You've been here too long." he said, his voice coming out more forceful and hoarse then he meant for it to.

His sharp eyes--glazed softly by pain and drugs--watched her as she stood and gripped the handle of Hidan's wheelchair ("I can fucking walk!") and turned toward the door. She stopped, though, and made like she was going to embrace him. His lungs clenched painfully and he stared at her with wide, blank eyes; watching and waiting.

She took a step but then frowned and flashed a small apologetic, grateful smile and turned on her heel, leaving him with a cold feeling in his chest and a sense of being unfulfilled. He glanced away guiltily at Hidan's piercing look and refused to look up until he heard the 'click' of the door closing behind them.

O O O

She had taken an early leave from work, thinking it might help to clear her head. At least, that's what she hoped to gain from it. So far it wasn't helping at all.

Sakura had fled from the hospital and immediately made her way to Ino's, but she wasn't home. Possibly with Shino at his house, and though Sakura recognized the symptoms of a panic attack coming on, she couldn't bring herself to impose on the happy couple's alone time.

She had contemplated going to Naruto's but knew he wasn't home either. He had work and for the life of her she couldn't remember his office number. The bus she had taken, since she didn't have her own car, had cost her the last of her pocket money and she had to watch it leave her on the curb on Ino's street corner with a breaking resolve.

She wished Naruto were with her. Granted they hadn't been as close since Naruto had started seriously dating Hinata a month back, but he still never hesitated to offer her anything in his power. One of his biggest and brightest smiles would definitely do the trick at the moment.

The sun was scorching the back of her neck and Sakura stared up at the blinding light, squinting as voluminous dots spotted her vision. She couldn't stay here in the heat, she'd have a heat stroke and having one of those on top of an impending panic attack was just begging for the ER and she refused point-blank to go back to the hospital.

_I could go home..._she mused to herself but dispelled the notion immediately. To go home would be just as bad as going to the hospital.

It was then that she decided to go to Naruto after all, despite the long walk. In any case, maybe the heat and the walk combined would help her keep her thoughts off painful subjects and therefore slow her breathing and heart rate and put a halt to a coming panic attack.

"Alright, then," she said to herself and set off, a worried frown on her lips. "Please, God, don't let me collapse."

For even in her dreams she would be haunted by that man.

* * *

_-beating head on wall- I don't know about you guys, but all this...this emotion in one-and-a-half days is really starting to bug me!!! Is it really so impossible for me to wrap up an entire day in just maybe, oh, I don't know, TWO CHAPTERS!?!? Why does it have to span for...I don't know how many chapters this makes it. Jeez, it's sad when your own writing is annoying you and it STILL won't do what you want it to do. I'm really sorry, I'll try harder to stop dragging everything out, promise._

_Okay, so review please! Sorry this took a while, I got distracted. It happens to the best of us. Please please let me know what you thought! Hope you didn't get too pissed at the Sasori/Temari/Hidan thing going on. Personally I find it kind of sweet. Ahh, unrequited love. Gotta love it. (pun intended) 'Till next time, guys!_


	8. Chapter 8

A Haunting Kind Of Memory

**Chapter 8**

O O O

"Mommy! Mommy, can I climb higher?"

Kankurou's big brown eyes looked imploringly down at his mother with a hopeful grin. She smiled happily back, her dazzling sapphire hues sparkling with mirth.

"Not too high, okay?" she said back, wrapping her yellow scarf more securely around her neck. "Just one more branch."

Kankurou whooped in delight before scrambling up the tree another branch and, looking out over the meadow they stood in, took in the sights that seemed more radiant and alive from his slightly higher perch.

"Wow," he breathed. "Momma the air is sparkly!" he said, excited, and looked down at his mother. His eyes popped open and his small jaw opened in disbelief. "Momma! You're sparkly _too_!"

She was, indeed, to him, sparkly. Standing at the base of the tree with her hands crossed over her chest and a bright smile on her laughing face, short ginger locks blowing gently in the breeze--she seemed to be glimmering in the soft light of the morning. Kankuoru's young mind couldn't come up with a more precise word to describe his mother since 'beautiful' did her no justice.

She looked like an angel.

_But she is an angel. She's gone._

Again, those unbidden thoughts that weren't his own but still somehow were. Kankurou blinked and frowned, his full lips sticking out in a pout.

"Momma, do you have wings?" he asked, climbing slowly back down the tree.

"Wings?" she repeated serenely, lifting him the last few feet off the tree once he was within reach. "Hmm, no, I don't believe I have wings." she laughed.

That was good enough for him. If his momma said she didn't have wings when a part of him was saying she was angel--and everyone know angels have wings--then she wasn't an angel and therefore was were she should be. With him. Not with the other angels.

_Liar._

He started to cry.

_Wake up._

But he was awake, wasn't he?

_WAKE UP!_

O O O

Hidan flopped back onto his bed, sighing heavily and rubbing his face (minding the scratches) with both his hands. Temari sighed heavily in relief and ceased biting her finger nails.

"That was damn irritating," Hidan mumbled. "I swear to Jashin that cop had a personal grudge against me."

"Maybe because you insulted his mother."

"Hey! I didn't insult his mother, I just suggested that she could have taken a few pointers from House M.D. and force her son to stop smoking in a hospital."

Temari fought back an amused grin. "Just never insult a Sarutobi's mother again, it might be the last thing you do from the look on his face."

Hidan scowled. "I'll bear that in mind."

It had been a rather intense interview, due mostly to the infuriating butterflies flapping insistently in Temari's stomach, doing a number on her nerves. What had really had her scared was when Asuma, the officer interrogating Hidan, had mentioned the weapon found on the scene. It was registered to Sasori.

Even Hidan had looked unsettled and had opted for casual indifference to the fact, though Temari could see the tension in his stiffened shoulders and the annoyance in his frowning lips.

"So he owns a gun, so what? I'm damn happy he had it. If he didn't, we'd be fucking dead right now." Had been Hidan's scathing retort, and Officer Asuma had looked at him like he would question it further, but he hadn't.

They did exactly as Sasori told them to, sticking to the story that had been conversed between them without leaving any details unsaid. Temari found that it was easier to repeat the story in her head than say it aloud, and guessed that Hidan felt the same. She was grateful she wasn't going through what her husband was, but felt sorry for him that he had to do it.

He wasn't much of a calm man under pressure.

The tale that had been spun between the three in order to keep Hidan and Sasori out of jail was simple and, if not looked into too carefully, foolproof. It helped that Sasori didn't have a record and that Hidan's past endeavors were only minor. Of course, Akatsuki had done a wonderful job on covering up their rather bloody lives and keeping their work hidden from the justice system.

It was the only time Temari had felt grateful for the organization, and it was definitely the last.

"Look, all I know is that we were told to meet this guy at the park yesterday. Something about him owing us some shit." Hidan had relayed, steadily keeping eye contact with the officer. "So we went, only the thing the guy owed us was, apparently, a few bullets to the head."

"This didn't seem odd to you at all? A man you have never seen or spoken to suddenly tells you to meet him at night to give you something you have no recollection of?" Asuma had asked, skeptical, inhaling the smoke from his cigarette.

Hidan sighed. "I didn't question it because Sasori is a friend, has been for a long damn time. With a history like ours together, you learn not to question things that compromise that friendship. Stuff like that is one in a million."

It was shaky story, now that she thought about it, but with the lack of evidence besides the gun, there wasn't much to go off of and there was no other party to question due to the attackers fleeing the scene and, so far, unable to find. All the police had was Hidan and Sasori's story and they would have to settle for it.

Hidan had spent the majority of the time grinding his teeth together and fighting back insult after insult. Fuck, he hated being interrogated. It just felt so wrong. The pressure to answer things correctly and remember the story Sasori had coached him in--it was all mind boggling. And there was the guilt. Putting most of the blame on Sasori like he was forced to do by Sasori himself had left a bitter taste in his mouth.

It was worse than being hounded by cops.

Finally, thankfully, Asuma had sighed and, with a grudgingly formal goodbye, left. Hidan had never felt so relieved.

"Do you figure he is finished with Sasori by now?" Temari asked a while later, brushing her bangs out of her eyes. "It's been hours since he left."

Hidan threw an arm over his face and hid his eyes in the crook of his elbow. "Hell if I know. Wonder if the bastard kept his head on straight."

"He wasn't the one we needed to worry about," Temari replied dryly, chuckling when Hidan shot her a glare over his arm.

"Bitch," he growled. Temari raised an eyebrow and he hastily added, "I love you."

O O O

Sakura could tell that Naruto was holding back his questions as he frowned at her from over his desk. It was as obvious as day that it was taking all he had not to force answers out of her and full out sprint to whoever had caused her to stumble into his office in such a state and pummel them into the dirt.

She didn't want him to ruin his suit though. He looked rather handsome and sharp. Becoming the president of a major shipping company was obviously doing wonders on the prankster she had grown up with in high school.

"Sakura--"

Knowing he was about to ask something she didn't want to answer, Sakura cut him off quickly by pointing at an intricately painted vase in the corner of the room. "Where did you get that? I don't remember it being there the last time I was here."

Naruto stared at her face, then her finger, and then at the vase she was indicating in his office. With a confused frown, he turned back to her and replied, distracted, "A gift from Kurama Enterprises. Sakura, what--"

"And that?"

She caught the annoyed look glint in Naruto's bright blue eyes as he barely spared a glance at the abstract painting hanging on his wall.

"A commission from Kurama Yakumo after our contract went through."

"That was nice of her."

"Would you just--"

"No."

Naruto blinked in surprise. "But, Sakura, why...what happened?"

"I said no, Naruto. I don't feel like answering questions right now." She stared at her hands folded in her lap. "Please don't ask me."

She knew she was putting him in a horrible position. With a quick glance she watched his jaw work and his eyes narrow on her, the inner turmoil of confusion and worry and even curiosity swirled within his gaze made her grimace. It was uncomfortable to watch him struggle with genuine concern for her and need to know what had caused this.

He was a true friend, but she wouldn't tell him.

Not yet.

She could still remember clearly how he had reacted on the night she had shown up, broken and crying, on Ino's doorstep. If he knew...if he had any idea that Gaara was back, she didn't even want to think of the trouble it would dredge up.

She just wished none of this had ever happened. She wished she had had the day off and never saw him. She could be with Zaku at this moment, spending the rest of the day with him and learning to open her heart for others a fragment at a time.

But then Sakura sighed as she remembered how just the other morning she had felt that sickening feeling in her stomach because she had slept with Zaku. She had regretted it. With a cold realization, she knew things would never work out between them. More so now because Gaara had thrust himself back into her life.

And she knew no matter how hard she wished and begged and pleaded, he wouldn't be erased. It was impossible to run from the past.

Against her better judgment, Sakura began to cry, completely bewildering Naruto the point that he began to flit around the room and shoving tissues in her hands while patting her awkwardly on the shoulder. He had never been one to know how to handle women when they suddenly burst into tears.

"Sakura! Sakura, please, tell me what's wrong! What happened? Did someone hurt you? Did you get fired? Sakura!"

Sakura let out a quiet wail and covered her face with her hands, feeling the emotional pressure on her shoulders become unbearable. Why did he have to come back and make her go through this?

"What happened?!"

"He's b-back!" she managed past her sobbing, chest heaving as hot tears rolled down her cheeks. "He's back and I d-don't...c-can't for-forget!"

"What?" Naruto asked, trying to pull her hands away from her face. "Sakura, who's back? What are talking about? Please just look at me!"

Dropping her hands, Sakura hiccuped and tried wiping away the wetness on her face and choked on her tears. Naruto, now on his knees in front of her, watched her with surprised and worried eyes, confused and very lost.

The words burst from her lips before she could snatch them back, unable to keep anything from him in such a vulnerable state. "G-Gaara's back, he's in the hospital," she choked out, sobbing harder at the growing horror on Naruto's face that reflected her heart so well. "He's back and I still love him!"

O O O

The sun was setting outside of his window, but he barely took notice. His dull eyes were transfixed on the picture clutched in his fingers.

It seemed unreal. Like a dream. Had she really stood there? Had she really been there, looked at him, and then fled? Surely he couldn't have imagined it. Though, he had been drugged at the time.

No. No, she was real, he was sure of it. He could not have imagined her like that, so solid and there. It was actually her. Sakura had been in his room.

And she had run away.

"Your nurse said that it should be easier for you to eat now with the tube out of your throat."

Gaara blinked, registering that Temari was still sitting at his side. He had momentarily forgotten her from the moment she had picked up his picture and handed it back to him without a word. She watched him carefully and he didn't blame her.

He couldn't imagine being in her place, wondering every aching second if Death would lead any of her three boys by the wrists and away from her forever. She was a strong woman.

She was biting her lip. "Gaara...I spoke to her, briefly," she said. "To Sakura."

His heart gave a sudden lurch.

"She seemed...upset."

He knew where this was going, and felt his stomach plummet.

"What happened between you two? You never told us and Tsunade only said it was your story to tell."

"Apathy." he answered simply after a moments' silence, eyes turning glacial as he looked away. "Foolishness on my part."

"What do you mean?"

Gaara looked back at his sister and felt the need to be alone, to rest, and to remember how beautiful Sakura had looked. She hadn't changed a bit. "Kankurou needs company."

Temari's winced and hurt shone brightly from within her teal eyes at the obvious dismissal, but he looked away, not wanting to face it. Only after she left did he hold the picture back and study her profile for the millionth time. He had seen her. He had actually seen her.

And it had hurt so much.

"I'm sorry," he mouthed the words to himself, trying to imagine himself saying them to her sometime soon, but couldn't. Would she ever want to see him again? Would she come back?

At the thought of her never stepping foot near him ever again, his heart stuttered frantically. He couldn't let that happen, he still had to prove to her that he was better, that things would be different this time. He had changed.

She would have to see that, and he hoped she would give him the chance.

O O O

Sasori couldn't remember falling asleep, maybe it was sometime after the pressing interview with the cop, but nevertheless, he awoke to the feel of a warm hand covering his forehead with thin fingers threaded through his hair and the unmistakable scent of flowers and cinnamon floating in the air.

Opening his eyes slowly, he looked to the side and saw his nurse, Inhao, he remembered, slumped over in her seat with her head resting on her shoulder. She was asleep.

As if sensing him waking up, she herself stirred and upon meeting his gaze, blinked and squealed, falling off the chair in her haste to scramble away from the bed. Sasori carefully sat up, minding his wounds and the aching pain shooting through his bones.

"I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to, I was just--I mean, I came in to check your vitals and you were asleep, and didn't--I just thought that--Please, I'm sorry! It won't happen again!"

He could only stare, mildly surprised at her vehement outburst. "It's fine."

"--and I thought you felt a bit warm, a fever maybe, so I checked, and then..." she stopped, having registered his words, and looked at him nervously. "Fine?" she repeated. "You're not...you're not mad at me?"

Sasori gave a puzzled look. "No, I'm not."

"O-oh. Then, I think, um, I think I will be going then. I'm sorry for bothering you." she stuttered and turned on her heel, face flushing an impressive shade of pink.

Sasori blinked, feeling the pressing need to say something, anything, to reassure her. "It didn't bother me, it felt nice." he said, stumbling over the last word out of sheer confusion, unable to believe he had just said something so tame.

Inaho whirled around, eyes wide and mouth hanging open. Sasori felt the tips of his ears heat up.

"I...I can come back. If you want, that is." she said quickly, cheeks staining a dark red.

"I wouldn't mind the company."

At his answer, she smiled happily, surprised but pleased and turned once more for the door. When it 'clicked' shut, Sasori frowned and looked out the window at the rapidly darkening sky. _Why _had he _said _that? He thought of Temari and wondered what she was doing at the moment.

_Something with Hidan, of course, _A snide voice sneered back at him and he sighed heavily. For some reason, he felt as if he had done the blonde beauty a serious wrong by inviting the young nurse back into his room whenever she pleased. Sometimes he really hated himself for having a heart and for allowing it to feel such ludicrous emotions.

**A/N: **_Yes yes, I know everything that is supposed to be centered isn't, that was just FF being a motherfu**er. THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN A B**** TO UPLOAD!! Ahem, sorry for the outburst, but it is true. Two days I spent trying to work around a stupid error message every time I tried to post this. Failed and failed again. But, thanks to Gaaras1Girl, I managed to find a loophole! Thank you so much, GG! Couldn't have done it without you! In any case, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and sorry for the wait, though FF is partly to blame. Sometimes I really dislike this site (growl). If something in this chapter was weirdly italized, underlined or in bold letters, then just ignore it. It was a glitch that I spent a long time trying to fix and I'm not sure if I fixed everything. Sorry, guys. As always, review and let me know what you thought! Hopefully I will be able to get this story moving in the next few chapters instead of sitting in limbo! _


	9. Chapter 9

A Haunting Sort Of Memory

**Chapter 9**

O O O

Madara sighed quietly and steepled his fingers, narrowing his eyes on Pein. The pierced man did not look away.

"So, they survived. How...regrettable. It seems this little setback will make your job that much more difficult, Pein. Obviously we can't have them running their mouths about Akatsuki. You know what to do."

Pein shifted his feet. "They have not breathed a word of what actually happened from what my sources have gathered. I do not think they will, sir. I believe they are too wary of the possibility their families might be harmed."

"Ah, but there is still that slight chance and I will not risk it." Madara replied mildly. "Surely you can sympathize? After all, didn't you take care of Yahiko when things weren't going the way you planned?"

Pein visibly tensed and when he spoke, his tone was venomous. "The situations differed greatly," he spat. "My hand was forced."

Leaning back in his chair, Madara spread his arms wide and gave a small, thin-lipped smile. "As well as my own at present. I cannot let Akatsuki be put under the radar, don't you see?" He put his elbows on the desk and rolled a pen between his fingers. "Would you rather spend your life, rotting away in a cold, dark cell never to see the light of day again, or happily raising a family with your dear Konan?"

"Konan has nothing to do with this."

Madara's eyes flickered in the shadowed room and he tutted his tongue mockingly. "Such temper. Surely you cannot believe that Konan isn't included in this. She knows everything about you, does she not?" Pein's silence was answer enough. "Let me explain in terms you will understand. If you allow Hidan and Sasori to live, and they talk, causing Akatsuki to be compromised, you will be locked up in prison or worse, dead."

"I will not--"

"Do not interrupt me, Pein," Madara said calmly yet his tone was deadly enough to make a shark quake in its waters. "As I was saying, you will go to prison and Konan will be left alone on the outside." A slow smile curled Madara's lips and Pein felt bile rise in his throat. "She will be so very vulnerable and lonely, wondering if her lover will ever return. And, as we both well know, certain..._needs _will have to be taken care of. I, being the helpful man that I am and requiring the satiating of my own personal needs, will only be too happy to oblige."

The pure resentment and disgust that flashed over Pein's expression shot through him and it took all of his self control not to launch himself across the room and wrap his fingers around Madara's neck. His throat felt raw as hate bled through every pore of his body.

"How _dare _you--"

"Oh, I dare. I dare very much." Madara slowly and deliberately licked his lips. "Konan is such a beautiful woman after all. In fact, I may not be able to control myself, say, if you failed to take care of these two little problems on the outside."

"Is that a threat?" Pein demanded sharply, his nails digging into his palms.

Madara smiled sensually. "Merely a suggestion, of course."

O O O

"Oh, come off it! It's not that bad, Hidan."

Hidan growled low under his breath. "Fuck that! I've had enough of these goddamn wheelchairs! I CAN WALK!"

Temari put her hands on her hips. "You are going to get in the chair and we are going to see Sasori and Gaara and Kankurou, and then we are going home."

"Yeah? Well, that's all fine and fucking dandy, but I can do all of that with my own two feet, not four wheels!"

"Hidan. Get in the chair," she said, pronouncing her words slowly, voicing each syllable as a threat all their own. "It's mandatory and you _will _do it."

Hidan opened his mouth to retort, but suddenly snapped it shut as a slow, lazy smile curved his lips. Temari glared down at him.

"What?" she snapped. "Why are looking at me like that?"

He shrugged. "You're damn beautiful."

Temari stiffened and eyed her husband with a sharp eye. "Flattery will not work on me."

Again, he gave an indifferent shrug. "Wasn't aiming for that."

"Hidan, get in the wheelchair so we can leave," she sighed, irritated, and turned away from his bed.

Rather than letting her walk away, however, Hidan grabbed her wrist and tugged her back to his side, grinning mischievously when she lost her balanced and plopped on the bed next to him. He released his hold on her hand and instead trailed his fingers up her side and over her flank, skimming her ribs, and then dipping back down over her belly.

Temari glared hard at him. "What--"

Hidan abruptly cut her off by pressing his lips to hers, cupping the side over her face with the hand that wasn't slipping up her shirt. He titled her head upward with his thumb, easily taking the opportunity to slip his tongue sensually past her lips and stroke her own. Temari stiffened, but relaxed and even smiled into the kiss, laughing darkly to herself.

"It's been too long since I've touched you," he murmured against her mouth, deepening the kiss only to pull back when Temari tried to return in kind. "Since I've tasted you."

A sudden thrill shot through Temari and tingled the bottom of her stomach deliciously. She wasn't even aware that her hands had come up and were palming her husband's bare chest until he gave a throaty groan. Temari's lips curved into a cheeky smirk as she pinched his sensitive skin, feeling another thrill at his immediate hiss.

When she felt his fingers trying to pull off her shirt, Temari pulled away with a cheshire grin. "Get in the wheelchair."

Hidan's jaw dropped as he scrambled for words, his blood having momentarily rushed from his brain to his groin and effectively limiting his thought process. "Huh?!"

Temari stood from the bed and straightened her shirt. "Oh, please, like that would work on me. Flattery didn't work and neither will seduction. Now get in the chair."

"Shit, I wasn't...that was _not _what I was trying to...ah, fuck _me_." Hidan whined, dragging a hand down his face and trying in vain to gather his wits and take his mind off a very _straining _problem.

"I plan to," Hidan's eyes popped open and he stared hard at his wife. "Later." She punctuated the world with a sly lick of her lips and Hidan clenched his eyes shut.

"You'll be the death of me, woman."

O O O

Kankurou hadn't been awake long. In fact, he had only just woken up at three o'clock that morning, slipping in and out of consciousness throughout the day with nurses running back and forth through his room. He still struggled, even at that moment, to remain awake and watch the blurred T.V. with Gaara at his side.

He couldn't remember much about the accident except the pain that had exploded on his side when, apparently, he had pushed Gaara out of the way and was hit by the car. Even the day leading up to the wreck was fuzzy.

The only thing that stood out starkly clear for him was his mother.

It had been a long week, and inside that safe haven in his head with his mom was a secret paradise he didn't want to let go of. But he had been forced to.

After spending hours mulling over what had happened in that dream state, Kankurou could remember talking to himself. Or, rather, hearing an older version of himself speak from seemingly no where as a younger Kankurou clung to his mother.

She was so beautiful and compassionate and loving, just as she was when she was alive. In the end, she had been able to decipher the desperate calls of the 'older Kankurou' screaming for himself to wake up. In the end, _she _had been the one to force his eyes open.

He didn't want to think that somehow his mother was just a fragmentation of his mind conjuring up the past. It was too painful to think that he might have made it all up like some cock-and-bull story. He missed her too much.

He could remember suddenly growing and being taller than his mother, watching as she smiled sadly and tears spilled from her sparkling eyes. He could remember her mouth forming words yet no sounds reached his ears as he felt like he was slipping through the cracks of that dream world.

And then she was gone, and he was opening his eyes to stare at blindingly white walls that shot through his skull and stabbed like knives when his pupils painfully dilated again and again, attempting to adjust to the abrupt change in light.

The rest was a constant blur of motion and white-noise. But he swore he heard his mother's laugh as he fought to stay awake, and, after the initial shock of having him wake up from such a catatonic state, the nurse had inquired as to what had made him smile so much when they were running tests on him.

"I...heard sparkling," he had replied slowly, grinning slightly as he said it. The nurse had only shrugged.

"Hidan and Temari are here," Gaara said quietly and struggled to his feet, leaning heavily on his crutch with his undamaged arm.

Kankurou blinked and inclined his head to the door as it was suddenly pushed open by a disgruntled looking Hidan in a wheelchair and his smirking sister. She had burst into tears just that morning at seeing him awake, and he was glad to see she was dry eyed now. He wasn't good with tears.

"Gaara!" Temari gasped, seeing her youngest brother hobbling in one spot on a singal crutch. "What are you doing out of bed?!"

"I was allowed," he said back, narrowing his eyes challengingly. "I wanted to see Kankurou."

"But..."

"It's fine, Temari," Kankurou croaked, his voice still hoarse from disuse. "We were just enjoying the wide selection of channels."

"The programs suck just as much as the pitiful excuse of meals they serve here." Hidan growled, resting his chin in a palm. Kankurou raised a brow at his brother-in-law's obviously frustrated appearance. His scars made him look downright menacing.

"You look like hell," he stated, smirking when Hidan's amethyst eyes snapped to his face. Relief echoed plainly in the man's violet eyes before being masked completely.

Hidan sneered. "Not much of a looker yourself, dipshit."

Kankurou managed a weak laugh, knowing that in their own way the two men had just called out all the bad episodes between them since their first meeting to the front lines and bowed out, letting it live and let be. Apology accepted, white flag raised, hand shake, the war was over.

And, Kankurou was pleased to notice, he felt...Happy. They were all fine, even Sasori from what he had gathered. Kankurou was even willing to let the bad blood between him and the older man be washed away also.

Coming so close to Death's embrace had shown a new light on things.

"We were just coming to see how you were doing before I took Hidan home. How are you feeling?" Temari asked as she pulled a chair from beside the door and placed it beside Gaara's vacated one. "Gaara, sit down, your leg is bad enough." she fussed, tugging at his shirt until he managed to stumble into his seat.

Kankurou bit back a smile. It was so weird how everything was back to normal. A sharp pang stung the side of his head and he winced. Well, _almost _back to normal.

O O O

Sakura paced back and forth in front of her telephone while Naruto and Ino sat on the couch watching her. It had been a long three days since she had had her little episode in front of Naruto, and after much debating, talking, screaming, arguing and emotional raging fits, she had calmed down enough to have a rational conversation.

It had taken a few hours the next day to explain everything about the wreck and each patients' condition because Sakura didn't leave out any details. She wanted to be honest with them. After all, hadn't they always been there for her? And here they were again when the past had so suddenly slapped her in the face.

It was Ino's idea that Sakura was contemplating over now. Never had Sakura such an intense argument with herself before, and she was no closer to coming to a decision now then she was three days ago when she first picked up the phone and said she was going to be gone for a while. This was different though, she wasn't calling her current boss.

"She has a right to know, Sakura. If Naruto was in a fatal car crash and I was the only one there, don't you think you would want me to let you know?"

"Well, of course, but this is different."

"How?"

"Naruto's our friend! She was his...his...Ino, she was like his prison guard! She was his warren for chrissake!"

Naruto rubbed his face with both his hands. "I think this granny lady should know. You said yourself once that he was like a son to her."

"Naruto! Don't call her that!"

"What? Granny? Well, she's like sixty years old!"

Sakura's eyes narrowed murderously and Naruto shrunk back into the couch. Ino rolled her eyes and muttered darkly under her breath.

"You know you have to call her," she said adamantly. "It's just wrong if you don't. Almost like denying telling a mother her child is dead."

"But he isn't dead!" Sakura screeched, feeling her heart beat faster at the thought. "He's fine!"

Naruto glared at the floor. "Not if I get my hands on him."

"You will not touch him, Naruto." Sakura surprised even herself at the almost deadly serious tone of voice she used. Naruto gave her a worried look and Ino blinked in surprise. Clearing her throat, Sakura turned her eyes to her wringing hands. "Even if I did call Tsunade, what would I say to her? What _can _I say to her?"

"Well, asking about her health is a start. She is getting way up there in the numbers." Naruto dodged the fist aimed at his skull.

"Actually, that's not a bad idea," Ino said, pushing her two friends apart. "Sakura, just tell her who you are and ask how she's been and then WHAM!" she punched a fist into her palm, causing Naruto to flinch. "Let the bomb drop that Gaara almost died in a car crash but is stable now and then hang up."

"Obviously your boyfriend is too stoic." Sakura deadpanned. Ino frowned sharply.

"Speaking of boyfriends," she said, cornflower blue eyes narrowing on Sakura when she tensed. "What happened to Zaku? Are you still seeing him?"

Naruto raised a singal blond eyebrow. "I didn't know you were dating."

"It hasn't been for very long," Sakura replied stiffly.

"Have you slept with him?"

"Naruto!"

Ino huffed. "Oh, quit looking so scandalized."

"This is _not _a conversation I am willing to have at the moment, if you don't mind. What does this have to do with Tsunade and...Gaara anyway?"

Ino shrugged. "First you look like your getting stabbed with a rusty fork when we bring up the subject of a past fling, then, when we bring up the subject of a current fling, you don't want to talk about it. What are we supposed to do?"

Sakura immediately took the defensive. "Gaara was not a _fling_," she bristled under Ino's skeptical look. "I loved him Ino, I still do. Do not talk about him as if he was just a new toy that I--" Sakura stopped talking immediately, her throat suddenly dry. The last statement reminded her so much of when she was caught up in Gaara's web two years ago. At the beginning, when he first drew her into his deadly dance of mind games, a new and interesting toy was exactly what she felt to him.

"I'm sorry, Sakura. I just can't be civil about a man who broke your heart. To me, he's no better than Sasuke."

"Both of them were bastards." Naruto snapped, losing his temper at the mention of a man who had been his best friend in their youth.

Sakura choked, trying to swallow the lump in her throat. Her heart ached horribly with so much talk of Gaara. "I'll call Tsunade." she said once she gathered her bearings. "Tonight, I'll call her and tell her about...about him."

Ino grimaced and said in a quiet voice, "What can't you even say his name?"

"I do say his name!" Sakura felt her knees tremble. "I just said his name not three seconds ago."

Naruto scratched his cheek. "You hesitate, like it's physically painful for you to say 'Gaara'--and you flinch when we say it!" he cried, pointing at her.

Sakura flushed, embarrassed to note that, yes, she had been flinching each and every time they had said his name. "It's...complicated."

Ino sighed and brushed her flaxen hair out of her eyes. "As things with you usually are, Sakura," she said, smiling wryly. "Come on, let's kick Naruto out and grab a big ol' bucket of ice cream and cry over sappy romance films while we paint our nails."

"Hey!" Naruto shouted indignantly. Sakura laughed in spite of herself, feeling the tight knot of nerves in her belly loosening slightly. Maybe ice cream and horrible love movies was the exact therapy she needed at the moment.

* * *

**A/N: **Three cheers for having this out so soon? *cringe* Please don't kill me for the lack of GaaSaku meeting-ness. But did you really expect her to jump right back in the hospital and confront him after everything that's happened? Tsunade doesn't even know yet! Thou must be patient with me, for I have thou's best intrests in thy mind...or something like that. Oh, if any of you are interested in Assassin's Creed and/or Harry Potter, if you go to my account, I have a link that will take you to my second account! Please check that out, I would love any kind of feedback you are willing to offer, even if you've never played Assassin's Creed or read the Harry Potter books! Also, let me know what you thought of this chapter!

(Woot! FF didn't give me any hassle this time!)

Lastly, warning for next chapter, there will be a lemon. Sooo, if you're not interested in the kind of thing, just kindly skip over that, yeah? At least, I _think _there will be a lemon. I'm banking on it, so we'll see how that goes. HidaTema, by the way, if you were wondering haha. Now, review, then go to my second account, CleverDucky! (LINK IN PROFILE! GO! RAWR!)


	10. Chapter 10

A Haunting Kind Of Memory

**Chapter 10**

O O O

Tsunade sat down the phone slowly and blinked at the wall opposite her. With Sakura's explanation still running fresh in her mind, she stood and walked at a brisk pace to the front desk down the hall. Through one of the archways, she could see a few of the patients idly playing chess and watching game shows on the ancient television. It was almost impossible to believe that Gaara had once been haunting those same rooms, just like the current lost souls.

"Danzou, I'm going to be gone for a few days, I need you to watch over things here. Is that understood?"

The scarred man, previously flipping through documents on the various patients, stared up at the Head through his slit-like eye as she stood impatiently in the doorway. Very calmly, he said, "Is there a problem, Tsunade-hime?"

Tsunade gave him a thin-lipped smile as she pulled a writing pad and pen from her lab coat pocket. "Personal issues. You understand, don't you?" Danzou's lip curled slightly at the implication. "I will need all of my calls forwarded to this number while I'm gone. I will have internet access, so if something needs my approval, email it to me."

"Of course."

Tsunade really despised having to put Danzou in charge, but there was no other choice. The rest of the employes were practically infants when it came to running the asylum. And Danzou, disregarding his impulsive and rather destructive orders, was the most capable. Besides, it was only temporary.

It's not like he would be overthrowing her authority and taking over the facility while she was gone. She'd kill him if he tried.

"Are you going to tell me why you are suddenly taking a vacation?" Danzou asked, words sickly polite and coated in acid. "Certainly you are not being over worked."

Tsunade bit back her retort and settled for giving a strained smile. "Oh, no. If anything I would take a vacation to get away from annoying parasites that sliver through these halls." she said dryly, giving the older man a pointed look. "A former patient of mine was in an accident and I must speak with his doctors. Give them background information and the like."

Danzou raised a single eyebrow. "An accident?" he asked, his tone oddly satisfied and amused

Realizing how her statement must have sounded and how Danzou was going to take it, Tsunade narrowed her eyes and slapped down the piece of paper with her number on his desk. "He was hit by a car while walking with his brother to his automotive shop. His mental status if perfectly fine." she said icily, wishing to bash Danzou's head into the desk for even thinking one of _her _patients could have a relapse.

"Ah, how tragic. I hope he recovers well."

They both knew he didn't care either way.

Tsunade pinched the bridge of her nose and turned around, feeling a headache coming on. "I'm leaving. I will be back Monday. Don't ruin the place while I'm gone." she said warily, unable to hold her tongue with her frayed nerves.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Danzou muttered after her before returning to the documents on his desk, a curious smile curling his lips.

O O O

"I hate this part."

"Shh."

"Come on, I mean, _look _at her expression. She's such a horrible actor."

"_Shh_!"

"I'm just saying that I could make _Shino _have a more believable orgasm than that."

"Ino!"

Ino shrugged and licked her spoon clean of RazzleDazzle Strawberry ice cream. "There you go looking scandalized again. Sheesh, you'd think you were a blushing virgin at the mention of sex sometimes."

"It's not the talking of sex that scandalizesme. It's hearing you put 'Shino' and 'orgasm' in the same sentence that throws me for a loop." Sakura shot back, affronted.

The young blonde gave a sultry smile. "Did I tell you that he has a B and D fetish? I'm not kidding. Maybe not so much the discipline part, but the bondage..." she trailed, eyes glazing over as she reminisced, a flush rising high on her cheeks.

Sakura pushed off the couch and shoved Ino her Gin 'n Tonic with a roll of her eyes. "Here, cool yourself down before you climax all over my couch."

Ino had the decency to look slightly embarrassed as she accepted the alcohol and sipped it, sucking on an ice cube for good measure.

"So," she said, putting down her drink and standing with her hands on her hips. "You called Tsunade earlier, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"Is she going to come down?"

"I believe so."

Ino sighed heavily and picked up the half empty carton of ice cream. "God forbid you give a lengthy answer." she grumbled as she ran a finger around the rim of the carton before sucking on it and walking to the kitchen to put it back up in the freezer.

"You know what? We should go out tomorrow, we haven't done that in a while." she called from the kitchen.

Sakura grimaced. Shopping was the last thing she wanted to do right now. "I'm not really in the mood, Ino."

"Well, then _get _in the mood. Why don't we go to Victoria's Secret? I need a new bra." Sakura stifled a giggle as Ino returned, holding the collar of her cropped shirt away from her so she could look at her bra.

Ino looked up and flashed a grin. "I think it's a good idea."

"Ino..."

"Sakura, you can't deny the cliche, alright? You know how it goes. The girl gets heartbroken and when she goes to her best friend, usually the best dresser and more flirtatious of the two, not to mention drop dead gorgeous," she flipped her hair and struck a pose with a bright smile. "they take the mandatory shopping trip."

"When I find that friend, I'll tape back together my sliced credit cards and do exactly that."

Ino frowned sharply and dropped her model stance. "We're going. Don't make me drag you out there tomorrow, because believe me I will. You don't want your neighbors thinking you're some kind of weirdo, do you?"

Sakura winced, remembering all the times she had stood in her empty driveway and swore loudly, stamped her feet, and yelled that she needed a damn car. "Too late for that."

Ino's cellphone rang and while she answered it, Sakura busied herself with knocking back her own drink and flopping back on the couch. Another romance film was starting on the television and with a scowl, Sakura punched the remote and changed the channel.

Tuning out Ino's voice, Sakura sighed and watched the health channel; doctors slicing up a stranger and fixing his ailments.

She wondered what Gaara was doing, if Temari had told him that she had seen her, and if Kankurou was okay. She had left before getting any news on him, and she felt guilty. Of course, her guilt was unjust. She had nothing to fill guilty over.

Really.

But she did.

She felt guilty for running out, for not saying a word. Then again, it's not like Gaara deserved any words from her. None of them did, now that she thought about it. Sakura sighed and groaned to herself. She was just being a bitch now. Temari and Kankurou had nothing to do with what had happened between Gaara and herself.

Looking down at her fingers, she twined them together and for a fleeting moment remembered the heat of Gaara's skin on hers, his lips on her ear, whispering, whispering, whispering.

With a jolt, Sakura realized that she was on the verge of tears. Her chest was throbbing painfully and she was filled with the need to see him again just to see those clear eyes. Clear, not clouded by insanity or medication.

Maybe he had changed...?

"Stop it," she ordered herself quietly. "Just stop it." Tears were pooling in her eyes. "Don't do this to yourself. Breathe."

Ino's happy voice floated over Sakura, dragging forth a form of resentment because she was so happy with the love of her life while Sakura was struggling to keep her twice-shattered heart intact.

"Don't worry about it, sweetheart. I'll be--" Out of the corner of her eye, Sakura saw Ino freeze and knew that she wouldn't be able to brush off her pained expression as nothing. She was coming apart at the seams.

"Shino, I'll call you back." She hung up.

In seconds Ino was at her side, wrapping her in a tight hug and whispering comforting words quietly as tears streamed down Sakura's cheeks. Sakura curled against her, giving up the fight and letting herself cry because she deserved it.

There was no need to explain why she was crying or what she had been thinking about or even what she was feeling. That's what best friends were for, really, Sakura mused. They knew immediately without any hints. Ino had always been that way. Since they were kids.

Once, Sakura had been teased about her big forehead again by the pack of vulture-like girls that circled the playground. Ino had been at the snack bar getting herself and Sakura an ice-pop. When she got back, Sakura wasn't crying, but Ino had just known immediately what was wrong. Like some kind of dead-on intuition.

Without a word, Ino had handed Sakura her ice-pop, turned on her heel, and marched across the playground to the sandbox where the vulture pack were. Sakura couldn't hear what was said from her place under the slide, but she had watched Ino scream something and shove her sour apple ice-pop into the girl's nose, making her scream and flail in the sand.

The principal had sent Ino home that day, but not before Ino could get back to Sakura and give her a wide grin and say, "It's what best friends do, ya know?"

Ino rubbed Sakura's shoulders gently and pulled the Afghan off the back of the couch to wrap over her. "You loved him a lot."

It wasn't a question, and she didn't expect an answer. Sakura felt grateful that Ino didn't use the popular lines, "You're going to be okay." or "Time heals everything." because they would both be a lie, and Ino had always been bluntly honest.

_It's what best friends do, ya know?_

O O O

It was dark and the moon was covered by a veil of clouds, peeking out in places to create a pleasant and peaceful sight. The house was completely silent, save for the occasional creak or groan of the walls settling and the T.V. downstairs buzzing on some random channel.

So why did he feel so alert?

Hidan dragged a hand down his face and got up from the bed, being careful not to wake Temari as she slept peacefully in the aftermath of their lovemaking. Hidan made a mental note to tease her about her loud expletives from before, since usually she was a quiet lover. The only noise she had ever made in the past was whispering gasps and moans.

It was a nice change though, he was definitely not complaining. Indeed, he would like to hear her call out his name like that again and again and never get tired of it.

After a moment of rummaging through the dark, Hidan pulled on a pair of jeans that hung low on his hips and made his way downstairs. He had learned years ago that you always trusted your instincts. Being in the Akatsuki had branded this little fact into his brain permanently.

So it was the stealth of a panther that Hidan crept down the stairs, avoiding the squeaky steps, and slipped into the pitch black kitchen. The stove light was on. They never used the stove light, ever. Hidan grit his teeth and pulled open a drawer, quietly taking out the butcher knife.

He was going to buy a gun in the morning. He had been trying to convince Temari for months now that they needed one for safety purposes, but she was dead set against it. Fuck it. If she refused the purchase of a firearm after this, he would buy it anyway.

He turned and padded across the kitchen, about to make his way to the living room. He froze, however, when something caught his eye on the counter. A cold sensation, like someone had dunked ice down his back, flooded through Hidan's veins and he stood stock-still with his eyes glued to the card propped on the fruit bowl.

In the limited moonlight filtering through the lacy hangings over the window, Hidan could see the black card with a violent red cloud almost blending into the apples. It was suddenly very hard to breathe.

Temari. He had to get to Temari because something bad was about to happen and he had to protect her and he wasn't there and what if something happened while he was still down here in the kitchen because she was alseep and she didn't know that they could get to her before he could and _God_, _he had to get to Temari!  
_

Hidan whirled and in the same instant the sound of rustling fabric reached his ears. Without even thinking of the possibility of it being Temari standing off to the side, Hidan flung the knife at the source of noise, feeling awareness creep over his skin and raise the hairs on the back of his neck.

In the same instant that the knife imbedded itself into the wall next to its' targets' head, the lights flicked on and blinded Hidan, making his pupils dilate painfully.

When his eyes focused on the man standing across the room from him, Hidan felt his stomach drop. _Oh, God._ They were going to be killed. Hidan was suddenly aware of all the times he never told Temari how much he loved her. His throat felt raw.

"Itachi."

Upstairs, Temari screamed.

* * *

**A/N: **_I am sooo sorry this took forever to get out! My computer has been freaking out completely in the last week. It got so bad that I have to take it to get fixed. Thank God my mom knows a guy who will do it for a reasonable price. I'm actually surprised I was able to get on here. It's been blocking each and every site like crazy, I think it's in a lucid state right now. Okay, a few quick notes. I won't be able to update for a little while since I won't have my laptop, but I can access my email and stuff from my mom's laptop so don't let that stop you from leaving reviews!_

_CrystalVenom, I'm taking your Vamp!Gaara. Yes, that just happened. I just kidnapped him. _

_GG, I'm going to borrow your skillet because I need it to beat Vampy Gaara when he gets out of hand. :D *runs*_

_Sorry for the cliffhanger, hopefully you won't kill me. And, for those who were wanting it, sorry for the no lemon. I just couldn't find the will to do it. I was feeling lazy XD. I had this whole scene in my head of Temari and Hidan busting into their home all over each other and Kisame standing there with a sandwich saying, "Oh, carry on. Don't mind me." *sits down on couch and proceeds to munch sandwich and watch* Maybe I'll fit that in somewhere. Probably not. It was a funny thought though, haha._


	11. Chapter 11

A Haunting Kind Of Memory

**Chapter 11**

O O O

When Hidan and been employed in the Akatsuki, there were certain places he refrained from entering, certain people he refused to associate with. They were all like that, really. Each man had someone else he despised above all others and secretly wished for the power and ability to end his life. It was a simple, albeit disturbing, frame of mind but that's what happened when mafia men were thrown together.

Itachi had been at the top of Hidan's list in the hallways of Akatsuki, which had on some occasions put him and Deidara in the same boat. He hadn't liked the man from the beginning. Maybe it was his condescending looks, or his quiet, 'holier than thou' nature that rankled Hidan so bad. Whatever it was, Hidan had always gotten a acid-bubbling feeling in his stomach whenever Itachi was around.

So, to see him standing inside his home, a knife embedded in the wall just beside his head and his glittering eyes watching him like a bird of prey, Hidan felt not only fear swirl in his gut, but that old familiar resentment mixing with it.

Temari screamed again, jerking Hidan into action. He couldn't think clearly, couldn't see things rationally. All he knew was that he needed to protect Temari. If Itachi was here, that meant that Kisame was too.

Hidan sprinted for the doorway, shoving Itachi out of his way with the force of a galloping bull. Immediately, he was thrown off balance as Itachi grabbed his shoulders and knocked out his knees from behind, sending him sprawling to the ground on his stomach with a grunt.

Itachi held him still, using his knee to dig painfully into the small of Hidan's back and wrap his fingers like a vice around Hidan's wrist below his shoulder blades. He couldn't move, couldn't get free.

Hidan struggled helplessly. "Temari!"

"Let _go _of me, you bastard!"

Hidan's head whipped toward the stairs, his wide amethyst eyes filling with horror as a giant of a man stumbled down the steps, dragging Temari in front of him.

"Next time, Itachi, _you _go upstairs and get the--_Shit_!" Kisame grimaced and hobbled on one foot, take the weight off the toes Temari had just ground into the stairs.

"I said to make no noise, Kisame," Itachi said, his tone even and flat yet brimming with authority.

Kisame limped down the remaining stairs and locked Temari's arms behind her back, keeping his feet well out of her reach. Kisame muttered darkly under his breath, shooting a sharp glare in Itachi's direction before glancing down at Hidan. At the pitiful sight of Hidan, shirtless and incapacitated and wild-eyed staring at his wife, Kisame's mouth stretched into a wide, animalistic grin.

"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes." Kisame snorted.

Hidan stiffened. "Let her go." he growled.

Kisame glanced back up at Itachi as if for confirmation. "Release her."

Temari spun around on the spot, her fist flying. With a loud 'thump', her fist connected with Kisame's cheek and sent him stumbling back, bumping into the wall. She spat at his feet before dropping to the floor and cradling Hidan's head against her belly, eyes flashing dangerously.

"For fuck's _sake_!" Kisame shouted. "Will you stop _doing _that!"

"Kisame," Itachi warned quietly, though dark humour was evident in his tone. Which caused Hidan to break into cold sweat and whisper quietly to Temari to just _run._

"Not without you," she hissed back, blue-green eyes alight with a fire he had never seen before. She was shaking, he noticed, and breathing so hard. Hidan could live a happy life if he never saw Temari like this again, on survival mode, like she was walking a thin, thin line and he couldn't pull her back on safe ground.

Kisame rubbed his cheek and glared sharply down at the blonde hellcat crouched beside Hidan. "How did you get tied to her I wonder," he muttered looking at Hidan, cold humour glittering in his silver eyes. "Leading you around by the dick is my guess."

"Go fuck yourself!" Hidan snarled. "What the fuck do you want!"

This time it was Itachi who spoke, twisting Hidan's wrist in such a way that he gained the Jashinist's full attention. "That is a foolish question since you should know perfectly well why we are here, Hidan."

Kisame snorted. "Maybe being thrown out of a windshield loosened a few screws," He grinned. "More than usual, I mean."

Itachi stood gracefully from Hidan's back, pulling him up after him. Hidan backed off and forced Temari behind him, holding her steady because if the chance presented itself, Hidan was pretty sure she would launch herself across the room at Kisame again just for the hell of it.

"Kisame, stay by the door. Do not let anyone past your sight." Itachi nodded to the large man before flitting his eyes back on Hidan's tense face. "We need to talk."

O O O

She was crazy.

Good lord, she was just _stupid._

Ino would kill her.

And then Naruto would bring her back to life, only to kill her himself.

What was she _doing_?

Sakura bit her fingernail anxiously as she parked the car in the hospital lot. It was still relatively busy, most of the parking spaces were filled. Thankfully there was one empty out by the back doors.

It was around two-thirty in the morning, very hot, and Sakura was standing next to Ino's car--which she had stolen--in nothing but her shorts and T-shirt and ratty old sneakers that made Ino wail in pain every time she wore them. With her hair in a sloppy pony-tail and eyes smudged with mascara, she looked like a mess, which was okay because at the moment she _was _a mess.

She spent a good ten minutes pacing back and forth in the scalding parking lot going over what she was going to say, how she was going to act, how long she was going to stay, and schooling her tears to stay down and not resurface for the duration of her time in the hospital.

Once or twice she actually got back in the car only to get back out and kick a tire with a loud curse. After the third time of doing this and watching a mother cover her child's ears while shooting Sakura a dark scowl and scoot off, Sakura turned on her heel and marched for the front doors.

She passed right by the front desk, sending the receptionist a quick smile and nod before slipping through the swinging doors and, once out of sight, all but sprinting for the elevator.

"You're not even going to go in, alright? Just a quick peek through the door to make sure he's breathing, then to Kankurou, and then you are going _home._" Sakura repeated the sentence again and again to herself as she punched the necessary floor number.

It was an agonizingly long ride up the floors. Sakura began to chew on her nail again, clenching her eyes shut and banging her head against the elevator at her back, feeling increasingly uncomfortable with the entire situation.

She had walked out on him twice. More like _ran, _now that she thought about it. And each time she had barely spoken a word. A kind of...mumbling stutter, really. But it's not as if she didn't have reason to, right? _He _had been the one to end it and break her heart in the first place, so, really, it wasn't all that terrible that she had fled.

But Sakura had compassion, and her inner self (while screaming at her to make a run for it again) was also making her feel guilty for not at least offering him the explanation she never got. He didn't deserve it by any means after being so cruel to her, but _she _deserved it.

"You're still stupid, though, no matter what happens after tonight. At least Zaku had a sense of propriety, and decency. Are you willing to throw that away for...for a roller-coaster ride of ups and downs? For insanity--"

Sakura blinked in surprise at the old man standing in front of her, his mouth agape in shock and eyebrows raised high enough that, if he had hair, they would be completely invisible by the fringe. Flushing with embarrassment, Sakura realized he must have stumbled upon her pep-talk right as 'insanity' popped from her mouth.

Now _she _looked like the crazy person.

Giving a nervous laugh, she edged around the old man with an unconvincing smile. "Guess I need to go get a cat scan, eh?" she laughed hysterically and knocked her knuckles on the side of her head. "Guess stress isn't one of my best buddies anymore!"

The old man continued to stare at her, bewildered, even as he continuously (unnecessary) mashed the button for whatever floor he wanted. As soon as the elevator doors closed, Sakura's smile dropped and she wiped a hand over her face wearily.

"Alright, first things first. Stop talking to yourself Sakura." She sighed heavily. "This is ridiculous..." _Guess I broke that rule already._

Deciding to get going before some other aging patient happened upon her breaking psyche, Sakura glanced up at the wall that held the floor number and swore under her breath. She was four floors below where she was supposed to be. Silently she sent a curse at the old man that had happened upon her inner dialogue and made for the stairs.

Half way up the third set she was breathing hard and sweating.

_Note to self, must go to gym at _least _twice a week. _Another step up and she had to grasp the rail to catch her breath. _Okay, maybe three nights a week_, she amended darkly to herself.

The floor was mostly quiet when she emerged, panting and flushed, in the hall. To her left was a waiting room while to her right was a line of doors leading to patients' rooms. In front was a glass proportionate with a handful of nurses and doctors milling about, flipping through papers or checking patients in and out on the computers.

Sakura darted into the bathroom off to the right before the labeled doors of patient's and sighed in relief to find that there were no sweat stains drenching her green college shirt. Snatching out a few paper towels and soaking them in cold water, she took a few minutes to dampen her face and wipe away the sweat.

There was a brief moment in which she considered giving herself the cliche bathroom pep talk, but decided against it given all the awkward situations that had already happened from the moment she exited Ino's stolen car.

Without wasting anymore time, Sakura left the bathroom and headed down the hall, glancing up at the room numbers as she went. Kankurou's room was nearest, having entered on the opposite side of the hospital to Gaara's room. She peeked in on him quickly to see how he was faring.

He was asleep, which she supposed was alright. She wasn't all too sure if he was still in a coma or not and felt a little anxious to leave him be. What if he woke up and she was the first one he saw? What if he didn't recognize her? What if he had already woken and was only sleeping, and he was pulled from his dreams only to see some strange woman looking at him through a crack in his door?

The scare would be enough to send him straight back into yet another coma. This time, Sakura-induced instead of from head trauma.

Swallowing, Sakura turned and started on what felt like the longest, and hardest, walks she had ever taken to Gaara's room.

O O O

Tsunade blinked her honey eyes slowly as more dull gray clouds floated gently past her small window. The plane hummed a whispering tone that was slowly putting her to sleep, easing her misgivings about Gaara.

So far, the trip had been easy and not stressful in the least, which she was grateful for. Not even Danzou had contacted her yet about anything work-related. She counted her blessings on that fact because she had been almost positive that he would have made it a game of sorts to pester her.

"Would you like something to drink, ma'am?"

Tsunade turned and gave a tired sigh. "Warm sake. Please." she tacked on at the end, irritation toward Danzou momentarily causing her to forget common courtesy. The steward bowed and went to fetch her drink.

For the third time since boarding the plane, Tsunade pulled out the address to the hospital she had obtained from Sakura over the phone. It would take at least an hour to get there from the airport. She grimaced. Taxis always made her uncomfortable.

A few minutes later the steward handed Tsunade her drink and she took an immediate deep swallow. She barely registered the burn as it eased down her throat, concentrating instead on how she was going to speak to Gaara.

She smiled bitterly as she remembered her last words to him, _I hope to never see you again._ If given the choice now, she would gladly wish she never had to see him. Meaning, she wished he had never been in the accident in the first place which in turn would mean she wouldn't feel so damned worried it was making her sick.

She would definitely have a few words with him when the opportunity presented itself. Perhaps, since he was injured, she would refrain from give him a sound knock on the head.

O O O

"You're fucking with me," Hidan said incredulously. Kisame snorted quietly from his place leaning against the door frame just inside the room, his eyes trained on the front door and every once in a while glancing over his shoulder to the back door down the hall.

Itachi blinked slowly and refrained from further comment. Temari sucked in a sharp breath and looked at Hidan with anxious eyes. "Hidan," she whispered. "I think he's telling the truth."

"The hell he is," he hissed back, eyes blazing. "You didn't work with him for as many years as I did!"

Itachi shifted on the chair he occupied and spoke in a quiet, emotionless tone. "Which is why I am here, Hidan. Despite whatever ill feelings you harbor toward me, I have a sense of loyalty to certain members of the Akatsuki and I take the current situation as an obligation to a former co-worker."

Hidan's face twisted into one of disbelief. "Sorry if I find this shit unreal. You never gave a fuck about me before, why the hell are you taking a sudden interest in what happens to me or my family?"

Surprisingly, Itachi's eyes flashed with an underlying anger. "Do not take your family so lightly. If you wish to not believe me, then so be it. I have no problems with killing you here and now."

"Itachi, he won't understand where you're coming from," Kisame murmured from the door way, sending a fleeting glance at his suddenly silent, livid partner.

Hidan clenched his fists and grit his teeth. "Tell me what you know."

"Are you going to believe that we are here to help, or continue to be ignorant?" Itachi replied, deadpan.

Temari squeezed Hidan's hand and nodded encouragingly when he glanced at her. With a heavy sigh and a suspicious look, he growled, "I'll believe you...for now."

Itachi nodded and began relaying all that was going on in the Akatsuki. How he had overheard Pein being threatened by Madara and how, shortly after, Pein had sought out his self and Kisame to take on the mission of ending Hidan and family's lives. However, neither Itachi nor Kisame were too happy with the circumstances.

Mainly because they were to take on Hidan unawares and deal with it quickly, giving him no chance of fighting back and ending it before it could start. Then they were to deal with Temari, Kankurou and Gaara as efficiently as possible. It wasn't that they had a problem with murder (they were a part of Akatsuki, after all), it was just that they believed in a fair fight.

And, to Itachi, the entire situation was as far from a fair fight as could be.

When he finished with all the details, Hidan rubbed a hand wearily over his face. "So what now?"

Kisame gave his most feral of grins. "You have two options. Run or fight."

"I won't put Temari in danger," was Hidan's immediate retort and Itachi's eyebrow rose thoughtfully.

"Then hide," Kisame laughed. "Like a little, lost baby rabbit."

Hidan shot him a seething glare. "What about Sasori?" he snapped.

Temari's eyes widened. "Have you warned him yet? What if someone is there right now trying to kill him!"

Hidan tensed, whether from suddenly realizing that Sasori could be in immediate danger or from Temari's reaction, even he wasn't sure.

"Deidara is informing him as we speak," Itachi glanced at the clock mounted on the wall. "In fact, Deidara should be on his way back to Madara to report a false account of his mission. He is to tell Madara and Pein that there were too many people on the floor for him to complete his task."

"Speaking of time," Kisame cut in. "We need to be getting back too, Itachi."

Itachi stood from the chair and brushed his sleeves off as Kisame crossed the room to stand by his side, suddenly dwarfing him but still looking harmless next to the intimidating Uchiha.

"It was such a shame that you weren't home," Kisame grinned dangerously. "I really wanted kill you without any trouble. Oh, well, maybe some other time."

"You have our services. I assume you will not go into hiding," Hidan's grim but determined expression was answer enough, and Itachi nodded as he continued. "So we will be returning every other day to check in and inform you of the next 'attack' to be attempted on your lives."

"How are we supposed to fight this?"

Itachi's lips quirked into the barest of smiles, cold and full of malice. "Kisame and I will deal with Madara. Only concern yourself with your family, Hidan."

"Don't make us regret this decision," Kisame gave a cocky smirk. "We hold your life in our hands."

Hidan gave an audible noise of disgust. "In that case, I won't last five seconds."

Kisame only laughed loudly and followed Itachi out of the room, leaving Hidan and Temari in their suddenly very silent living room.

Taking a few deep breaths, Hidan turned and wrapped his wife in a protective embrace and nuzzled his face into her loose, sandy hair. "Everything is going to be alright," he murmured. "I promise."

He wouldn't screw up. No one would be carried away on a blood stained stretcher this time.

O O O

Sakura swallowed thickly and clenched her hands together in her lap. She hadn't been able to keep herself from opening his door and walking in. From sitting in the chair at his side and watching him as he slept silently.

He was still a quiet sleeper. The only noise was the whisper of his deep breaths. His eyes were still noticeably bruised from his years of insomnia and the violent scar kanji on his forehead was still as visible as it had always been. And he was still so inhumanly beautiful.

Tearing her gaze away from his face, Sakura looked at his hands and frowned slightly. She leaned forward and pulled what looked like a piece of crumpled paper from his hand and stared down at the same picture she had been held not so long ago.

"Why do you keep this...?" she asked quietly, expecting no answer. Her eyes were glued to the picture, depicting every singal detail. So concentrated was she that Sakura didn't catch the slight rustle of blankets and the change of breathing from the bed.

So softly that she almost didn't catch it, he said, "Sakura?"

Very slowly Sakura's gaze rose from the picture held in her shaking hands to stare into bottomless jade eyes.

* * *

**A/N: **Gotta make this quick because I'm SO fed up with writing this! Thought my eyeballs were going to fall out; I've been working on it so long, nonstop. Okay, a few quick words and I'm gone. Firstly, sorry it took so long, I was caught up in my second account (found on my profile if you want to check it out) and Lord of the Rings book and movies, yadda yadda. Secondly, if there are any weird spaces in this chapter, I apologize, I didn't take the time to skim through it so there might be mistakes. I was just ready to be done with it! Lastly, please, please, please review! And, of course, go glance at my second account CleverDucky because I'm a sucker for reviews :)

Oh, and please don't stab me with toothbrush shanks over the cliffhanger.


	12. Chapter 12

A Haunting Kind Of Memory

**Chapter 12**

O O O

"Sakura?"

Sakura swallowed and tried a smile. It came out shaky and painful so she let it drop. "Hey, Gaara."

_So much for a quick peek, idiot. _Sakura thought bitterly before sucking in a deep breath and watching as Gaara struggled to sit up in his bed.

"I'm dreaming," he murmured to himself. Sakura pursed her lips and leaned forward to check his temperature, wondering if he was catching a bug. Then again, it wasn't _that _odd for him to talk to himself considering where he had spent most of his life up until a month or two ago.

His forehead was just a little warm, but that was normal. He closed his eyes at her touch and she felt her stomach drop and flutter anxiously. She took her hand back quickly before her fingers could stray through his bangs and over such familiar territory.

Sakura cleared her throat. "I just wanted to check on you," she said quietly. "I didn't have a chance to say anything to you the other day and..."

Gaara opened his eyes and looked up at her with a hooded gaze as her words trailed off uncertaintly. He swallowed and it seemed as if he were about to speak, but instead he looked down at his lap, sending furtive glances at her from beneath his lashes.

The fluttering in her stomach became more insistent at the softer, more approachable side of Gaara. It felt like she was seeing a piece of home that had been missing for some time, but was still tainted with the one thing she didn't want to feel again. Heartbreak.

Sakura finally turned her eyes away to look at the floor as she started to talk again. "I...I argued with myself for hours before I came here, you know. Seeing you again really got to me, I wasn't sure how to feel. At first I felt scared, then sad, and then I felt so mad at you." She shot a look at him and caught the flicker of a grimace shadowing his features.

"I was angry with you," she continued. "But I'm not sure I am anymore. At least, not as much as before, anyway."

"I'm so sorry," he whispered hoarsely, his voice raspy and rough from sleep. "It's not worth anything now, but," he met her eyes straight on. "I fucked up, Sakura. I hurt you and I didn't mean for it to be that way. I thought...I thought I was _helping _you."

She had to struggle to hear him so quiet was his voice, but when the words registered, the conflicting anger, pity, love and remorse battled inside her chest. "Helping me?"

To her surprise, his face broke into a smile. But it was bitter and the laugh that tumbled from his lips was full of self-disgust. A niggling feeling of anxiety settled in her stomach. "Would you believe me if I said I was trying to save you from myself?"

"I don't understand what you're saying."

His eyes flashed with a hidden light, his smile turning into one of apology. "There's no point in explaining right now."

"Why not?" she snapped. "I think I deserve to know the reason why you did what you did."

She felt a tiny flare of triumph at his immediate recoil and his eyes reflecting uncertainty and quiet surprise.

"I can't," he replied, pleadingly. "Sakura, I want to do things right. I want to sit down and talk to you about...about what happened. About everything."

She blinked indifferently and reigned in her temper. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't leave for good right now. Why should I ever talk to you again?"

Gaara was silent for a long time. His expression void and empty like he had gone from himself, but his eyes remained pinned to Sakura's, lit from the inside with a bright, intelligent flame. Finally, he said, "Because you deserve a reason, and I need to finally let that part of my sad, pathetic life go."

Sakura watched him watching her quietly.

Soon after their talked finished she left, curiously calm and collected. She wasn't bothered or plagued by her own thoughts or by anything Gaara had said to her. She wasn't even reacting to the fact that after a year and a half she had actually sat down and talked to him, however short a visit it was. She was just numb, but the good kind of numb. The kind of numb you feel after receiving great news or finding out you don't have as bad a credit score as you thought.

In the car, Sakura had just managed to start the engine when her phone rang, shattering the silence that had enveloped her like a protective blanket.

"Where the hell are you?! Are you okay?!"

Sakura smiled slightly at the worried screech in her ear. "I'm fine, Ino," she looked up at the hospital's numerous brightly lit windows and felt a sense of closure sitting patiently in the back of her mind, waiting for the right time to close its lid on everything she had kept bottled up inside. She thought of what she had agreed to before leaving and felt relieved. "I'll be home soon."

O O O

Ino was pacing through the living room, almost wearing a track into the carpet, when Sakura walked through the door and dropped the keys on the table. At the sound of clinking metal, Ino's head snapped up and her baby blue eyes narrowed to slits.

"Where the hell have you been?" she demanded, planting her hands on her hips. "I wake up and find that your gone. After searching through the rooms, I discover that my keys are gone, too!" she laughed coldly and without humour. "So I went from thinking my best friend had been kidnapped to my best friend just stole my car and is out doing God knows what!"

Sakura shuffled her feet and swallowed, pasting on an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry--"

"_Sorry_? SORRY!?" Ino exploded, throwing her hands over her head. "Sorry doesn't make me feel better! Sorry doesn't take away how scared I was, Sakura! I thought you were dead!"

"Dead?"

Ino seemed to deflate before Sakura's eyes as she sighed and sat down on the edge of the sofa. "Yes, dead," she parroted. "You've been so unhappy lately. Since Gaara came back and...and, well..." she trailed off quietly and it took a minute for Sakura to realize Ino was _crying._

Ino sniffled quietly and wiped her eyes with the back of her wrist. "I thought you had done something to hurt yourself."

Sakura frowned and crossed the room to sit next to her. She wrapped an arm around Ino's shoulders just like Ino had done for her and tugged her into her side. "You're not too far off the mark, actually," she muttered quietly. When Ino's head snapped up and fresh tears spilled over her cheeks, Sakura backpedaled furiously. "No, no, no! I didn't mean it like that. I went to the hospital. That's where I was."

"Why did you go there?"

Sakura rubbed the tears off Ino's face with her thumbs. "Because I wanted to talk to him."

Ino sniffed wetly. "To Gaara?"

She nodded and didn't meet Ino's eyes. "Yeah."

Outside, it started to rain rather heavily and Sakura turned to watch the drops wash over the window in cascades of shimmering rivulets. Beside her, Ino shifted and wiped fitfully at her eyes, irritated that she was crying and couldn't stop. Ever since they were children, Ino had had a problem with letting herself cry every now and then. It was something joked about between the two of them; how Sakura could cry at the drop of a hat and Ino couldn't even fake it (which was even weirder since Ino could make a brilliant actress, if she wanted).

So it was a bit mind-boggling for Sakura to sit there and comfort Ino when, really, the roles should have been reversed.

"Did he...what did you two talk about?" Ino asked thickly, swallowing.

Sakura shrugged. "Nothing, really. Just stupid things."

"Are you going to see him again?"

Sakura turned back to Ino, searching her face, not really knowing what to say. Their were no secrets between them, but this, whatever _this _was, seemed different. Almost as if it lay outside those friendship boundaries and therefore was insignificant to their conversation. She knew Ino would see it differently, but Sakura was unwilling to go down that path just yet. She needed time.

Sakura reached out and grabbed Ino's hand. "Come on," she said and pulled her along toward the front door. "I want to play in the rain."

"You want to _what_?!" Ino planted her feet into the carpet and refused to move another inch.

Sakura tugged regardless. "Ino, _please_? We haven't played in the rain since we were sixteen."

Ino glanced out the window uncertainty. "But it's _wet_," she complained.

"That's the idea," Sakura snorted and pulled Ino again. "You know you want to. Don't you remember how fun it used to be?"

"What about the neighbors?"

"What about them? They can sit inside and be the uptight prudes they are, we're going to play in the rain." she said firmly, laughing just a little.

Ino smiled despite her obvious reluctance to tramp around in muddy puddles and get completely soaked. She sighed heavily, stilling grinning. "Alright, Forehead," she relented. "Let's go play in the effin rain like a couple of sugar-hyped kids."

Sakura's face split into a smile so big it put Naruto's to shame. "Thanks, Pig."

"Sure, sure."

Outside, Sakura threw her head back and spun in circles, laughing loudly and listening as Ino did the same, squealing and screeching. They danced and sang cheesy songs to the rain, paying no attention to the neighbors who happened to look out the window and see them, or the occasional passer-by running full out in search of shelter.

For just a short stretch of time, a brief pause in the ever racing world, things seemed simpler and easy and _fun_, and Sakura soaked it in like a sponge, elated beyond reason that she had Ino and that it was raining and that she was living and she felt so...so happy. Everything seemed so small compared to that feeling and it made her laugh because she had been worried about all those small things when, really, all she had needed to do was just stop. Just stop and appreciate what she had, what was being given, and realize that things were truly okay.

O O O

Madara flipped through the file in front of him nonchalantly, scanning the photos he had received just a few minutes before without much interest. Hidan's face graced more than a couple, mostly accompanied by his little wife. Others he was seen casually walking around with that brown headed one, Kankurou? or the red-head, the crazy one, if his sources were correct.

"Sir?"

He grinned down at the pictures before flickering his eyes back up to Pein. "How's Konan doing, I wonder?" he asked softly.

Pein's face seemed taught with pain. "She's fine," he replied, tight-lipped.

Madara laughed quietly to himself, letting it go for now. "I want you to set up posts around Hidan's home. Itachi and Kisame seem to be finding it rather difficult to catch him at an opportune time."

Pein only nodded stiffly.

"Also," Madara leaned back over the pictures and tapped one, a head shot, of Hidan and his two new brothers standing outside an old looking cafe. "I want tabs kept on these two." He looked back up at Pein briefly. "I might be able to..._use _them for something."

Pein's jaw muscles jumped as he ground his teeth together but refused to take the bait. Instead, he tipped his head forward and turned to leave, halting when Madara called his attention once more.

"Send Deidara a message for me, will you? I would like to see him before the day is through."

The other man sighed to himself, impatient and irritated, but overall, worried for his lover. "Is there anything in particular you would like me to pass on to him?" he asked, distracted.

If Pein had turned but a fraction to glance back at Madara, he would have seen the predatory smile that crossed his cold lips. If he had turned, he would have seen Madara gently caress a box set out on his desk where, nestled carefully inside, a pistol lay ready. He would have possibly had time enough to warn Deidara, to give him a head start on running.

But he didn't turn. He didn't look back. All Pein could see, all he could think of, was Konan's safety.

"Tell him that I have something important to discuss with him."

O O O

He wasn't worried. Nah, there was nothing to be worried about, Kisame had told him so. Itachi, too, but since when did he give a fuck about what that Uchiha had to say? Never.

So what if Madara wanted to talk to him? There wasn't any way that he could know he had been given the slip. Deidara was sly like that, he had learned from Sasori himself, so there wasn't a chance in the world that Madara was on to him. All he needed to do now was lie in wait until Sasori could drag his sorry ass out of the hospital, then they were both leaving. No use hanging around here anymore.

New Zealand sounded nice, maybe they'd go there--or even the States. They would have to go somewhere far away since the Akatsuki wasn't exactly an organization you could just _run _from after blatantly disregarding orders. Especially orders given from Madara personally.

Hidan never disobeyed orders (the little lapdog), he had only fallen in love and gotten married.

No, they wouldn't be able to stay in Japan any longer once Sasori was out. But that was okay, Deidara was fine if he had his Danna. With Sasori, he was sure nothing bad would happen. After all, Sasori had kept him alive this long, hadn't he?

Sasori had been the one to take him off the streets in the first place, and if there was nothing else to be grateful for, he could be grateful for _that._ The streets had been pure Hell. No, the streets had been _worse _than Hell. There was no way to describe that level of misery and self-destruction.

Just thinking about it brought a bitter smile to his face and sour taste on his tongue. He forced his thoughts in another direction; toward his art. Sasori would be proud of him, he had sculpted a figure of Sasori standing tall above little tiny miniature people--puppets--with the strings shooting out of Sasori's fingertips.

When they had first met, the first night Deidara had stayed with his Danna, their had been a long discussion about art and, during this debate, Deidara had discovered that Sasori had a preference to puppets. At the time Deidara had chalked it up with a need to control, but now he believed he could see why Sasori liked puppets so much. They never gave much of a problem, never fought back. And, in their own silent, desolate way, he guessed they could be beautiful.

A vain part of him hoped Sasori would give praise for his artwork, it was the only piece he had ever made that would not blow up in a shower of bright colors and loud bangs. This one would last a while. Forever, hopefully, if the bastard took care of it.

Deidara smirked and turned the corner that led to Madara's door. With a quick knock, and a call from inside, he walked in, craftily wiping the smirk off his face and replacing it with a bored, blank facade.

"Ah, Deidara, I was hoping you would come by." Madara circled around the desk and sat on the corner, folding his hands in his lap. For the first time, Deidara noticed how long his fingers were and how, if he had the mind, Madara would make a great artist if he wanted.

Deidara shrugged and lazily shoved his hands in his pockets. "Just following orders, yeah. Pein said you wanted to see me."

Something akin to dark humour flashed in Madara's eyes as a cold smile lifted his lips. "Yes, following orders. How very loyal of you."

He shrugged again, gracing Madara with a familiar cocky grin. "I try."

"Speaking of which, your report said that you could not complete your task."

Deidara fought the urge to fidget. "That's right."

"Mind telling me why?"

"Too many people, didn't want to create a scene. Never was good at slipping unnoticed out of chaos."

Madara hummed thoughtfully. "Is that so," he murmured to himself.

Deidara nodded. "It was kind of busy that night."

Madara stood from the desk and rubbed his jaw, flicking his eyes around the room. When he spoke, his voice took on a distracted tone. "It's funny, really."

"What is?" A heavy anxiety settled on Deidara's shoulders. He almost regretted asking.

Deidara's eyes followed Madara as he walked around his large desk and looked out of the massive window behind it. "You see," Madara said. "I had taken the time to look through the roster for that night. You know, the rounds and times for each nurse and doctor on that floor? I didn't want one of my men getting into any scrapes, you see. So I chose a time when it would be most convenient for you, a time where you wouldn't run into any problems."

"How thoughtful." Deidara's throat felt very dry.

Madara glanced over his shoulder, that dark humour lighting their depths once more. "Yes," he mused. "I thought so, too."

At that moment it occured to Deidara that maybe Kisame was wrong and that it wasn't so smart to come in Madara's office after all. The little voice in his head that usually plays the part of his sardonic, sarcastic, playful other half started to chant _getoutgetoutgetout_, suddenly switching to the 'survival mode' part of his personality.

Madara turned back to his desk and opened a sleek looking box. Deidara's palms started to sweat. "I know what you did, Deidara," Madara didn't sound angry, merely thoughtful. "And a valiant effort it was, I admit. But I don't take kindly to a mole."

The voice in his head switched from chanting a warning to shouting _toolatetoolatetoolateyou'retoolate_.

He had never stared down the barrel of a gun, had never felt such a gripping, heart-stopping panic before. It was hard to think clearly, but Deidara somehow managed, and of all the things he could of been thinking of, he found himself remembering that stupid sculpture he wouldn't be able to give Sasori. And regret was making his arms feel like lead.

_Sorry, Danna. Guess we won't be making that trip after all. _Madara's thumb skillfully pushed back on the hammer. And it's sad that he's going to die by such a foul man, but what's even sadder is that he can't tell Sasori now. He'll never be able to tell Sasori the one thing he had wanted so desperately to tell his Danna.

_Just as well, yeah, _he thought in the last few seconds. _It wouldn't have worked out anyway, bastard's too caught up in the beauty of his artwork_.

A small smile crossed Deidara's lips even as absolute terror engulfed him, even as Madara's finger pulled the trigger, even as the bullet was shot with expert precision and he his body stumbled back into the wall and slid down to the floor.

_At least there was a bang._

O O O

Sasori turned over in his sleep, dreaming a dream he would forget as soon as he woke up. In it, someone was speaking words to him he couldn't understand, though he knew they were sad words and that the person was saying goodbye. Outside, sitting patiently on his window sill, a white dove cooed softly and turned away. Fluffing its wings in preparation, it pushed off from the scratchy windowsill and flew higher and higher into the sunlight; disappearing from view.

* * *

**A/N: **(flops on floor) .....I have no excuse except that this has to be the worst writer's block I have ever battled against. Usually, I can fix myself a cup of hot tea and walla! I'm past the writers block! Three cups of hot tea and a handful of short-bread cookies later, I'm staring at Wordpad wondering what the fuck is going on. I started this chapter a minimum of four different times. And that's just the start of the chapter, I believe that in all, I rewrote this AT LEAST six times. Which has never happened.

Enough with my whinging, yeah, I know. Please review and please forgive me for such a long haitus, it happens to the best of us, yeah? (pets Deidara) Ah, my wee little bomber, the plans I had for you.


	13. Chapter 13

A Haunting Kind Of Memory

**Chapter 13**

O O O

Gaara watched the door to his room compulsively for the next hour and a half, practically shaking with supressed impatience. He was getting out today, _supposed _to be getting out today, but the time was stretching on and on until he couldn't help but think that time would never come.

Eventually, the nurse that had stitched him up and fixed his arm came in and helped him into a wheelchair ("Everyone leaves in a chair, honey. Sorry."). She had even teased him good-naturedly about his impatience.

Tsunade was the one that met him at the front desk, which wasn't really a surprise. She had visited him regularly from the moment she was first able, and had talked it over with Temari that she be the one to take him home.

Gaara figured Temari had agreed only because Tsunade had told her they needed to talk, alone, without any interference. From the look in Tsunade's eye, he was pretty positive that he wasn't too far off the mark at all.

In any case, he was just happy to be saying goodbye to the hospital finally. Now that Sakura wasn't there anymore, there wasn't any want to stay.

"Where did you go?"

Gaara blinked and looked at Tsunade with a furrowed brow. "What?"

"You spaced out for a while there," she said, gracing him with a smile as she instructed their cab driver to a local coffee house a short drive away. "Where did you go?"

"Oh, I was just..." he rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands and squeezed his eyes shut. Instead of finishing what he was going to say, he switched topics while giving her a questioning look. "Why are we going to get coffee?"

Tsunade snorted and settled into the seat as the cab turned into traffic. "Why not? I've been sober for a month now, coffee's the only thing keeping me going."

"You're going to drink tonight."

"Damn right."

They shared a quiet laugh and Gaara suddenly felt lighter, as if some burden had been lifted off his shoulders. It took him a minute to realize he felt relieved because just Tsunade's presence was enough to ease his troubled mind and body.

It was silent the rest of the cab ride, broken only by Tsunade directing the cab driver to switch the radio to something less 'soul-sucking' than the jazz previously playing. By the time they payed the irate driver, the speakers were almost exhausted by the Isley Brothers and other hits from the fifties.

"I think you might have pissed him off a bit," Gaara commented casually as they walked through the door, barely taking notice of the tinkling bell.

Tsunade led him to a booth by the front window overlooking the busy street. "I might have done it, but he was a stick in the mud from the start."

"Of course."

Gaara picked idly at his cast, plain white, without any intrest. After a moment, he looked back up at Tsunade only to find her staring openly at him, an odd quirk tilting her lips almost as if she weren't satisfied with what she saw. Immediately, Gaara felt defensive under her scrutiny and sat straighter.

"What?" he asked sharply.

Tsunade shrugged. "You look thin. Have you been eating right?"

Gaara hummed the universal noise for 'yes' and crossed his arms as best he could over the table top. Tsunade glowered at him and waved down a waitress to give their orders. When she left, Tsunade tapped her laqured fingers absently and watched the people pass by outside.

"Temari told me about Sakura."

Gaara's eyes were bullets as he stared at her.

"Told me you two might be talking again. That's what she believes, at least."

"I don't see what this has to do with anything," he replied tightly.

She pinned him with her most intimidating stare. "You know that I like Sakura, she's a nice girl. Hell, I was the one that hired her as your doctor back then."

"But?" he guessed sarcastically.

She sighed heavily and looked back at the street. "But...I think you should let it go. All of it. Just move on with your life, you have a good thing going here with Temari and Kankurou. Soon enough you'll be able to live on your own and provide for yourself."

"I don't-"

Tsunade whipped her head around to glare at him. "Do you realize how fragile your psyche is, Gaara? You're a goddamn former _mental _patient for chrissake. One misstep and you'll lose it, you'll break." The waitress reappeared then and set down their drinks, albeit a little slower than was necessary, and walked away. "And this time I might not be able to fix you."

"You think Sakura is going to cause a _relapse_?" he hissed.

"It's a worry of mine, yes," she snapped back. "You're emotionally unbalanced still, there's no patching that up. You can take your medicine and count to ten when you feel like you might be slipping, but it won't hold you together forever. Sakura is someone very important to you, I know, which means she holds sway over your moods more than anyone else in the world. Jesus, Gaara, the girl can send you on a one-way ticket back to the institution if you're not careful!"

"She isn't like that."

"Oh, no?" Tsunade pushed her cup of hot coffee away and leaned over the table. "Are you going to see her? Are you two going to 'talk' things over?"

"...yes."

"Let me guess, you're going to apologize and explain your heart and you just think she'll accept it? That she'll jump right back in your arms and everything will be alright?"

"..." He glared at her angrily.

"Girls are vengeful creatures, Gaara. They are cruel and manipulative and will do horrible things to get back at men who break their hearts. I don't want to see that happen to you, I can't watch you be sent back to the clinic in a straight jacket."

O O O

"No. No _way_!" Sakura laughed and pushed the silky lingerie away from her face. Ino giggled and threw the lacy garments back onto the 'For Sale' bin. "If I knew we were coming here just so you could satisfy your fettish, I would have stayed home."

Ino pouted indulgently. "Quit being such a spoil sport! Here, try this on."

Sakura laughed and pushed away the flashy underwear Ino thrusted into her hands. "I'll find my _own _things, thanks, Mom."

"Well, go on then!" Ino giggled and pushed her toward one of the many racks in the store. "I'm going to test the perfume. Give a ring if you need help."

"Right."

Sakura took her time pawing through the selections, not really interested in what she saw. There were some things that caught her eye, mainly practical pieces, but she left them alone knowing that Ino would only lecture her if she bought one.

With a heavy sigh and an amused smile, she left the rack and walked over to the wall, wondering why she was even humouring Ino. She didn't need any of these things, though it was fun to think that she might wear them. Maybe she should get a whip...and boots. With a catwoman mask and a leather bikini with cat scratches through the fabric.

Sakura snorted loudly and ran a hand through her hair. Glancing over her elbow, a flash of bright crimson caught her attention and she paused, considering. It was definately something she wouldn't normally buy, in fact it was one of those things she would just pass right over without a second thought. But, nevertheless, she found herself walking over to it and taking down off the wall.

"Oh, God, I'm acutally going to buy it," she chuckled and shook her head in disbelief.

The satin material looked soft and gentle in her hands, and the colour was easy on the eyes, she supposed. It would have looked elegant and a sophisticated kind of bra, had it not been for the nifty little black bows and ribbon crisscrossing over the red to bring out the more wild side of it. The black lace gave it a nice touch too, and would draw attention to the swell of her breasts when she wore it.

_Planning on a certain someone seeing you in this, hmm?_

Sakura felt her cheeks heat up.

"Bet that would look great on you."

Sakura whirled around at the sound of the man's voice, mentally flipping quickly through all the self-defense she had picked up over the years and wondering where the hell was Ino when you needed her because at least _she _had taken the classes seriously (the fact that she had only payed attention because her instructor was young and hot was deliberately forgotten).

Zaku smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck, stuffing his other fist in his jeans pocket. "Hey, Sakura."

"Zaku? What are you doing here?" It came out sharper than she had intended.

He frowned, hurt, and Sakura felt a twinge of guilt. The look was gone in a flash, masked by the flawless facade of good humour that he always wore.

"Kin called me, said she walked by and saw you and wondered if...well, she saw you."

Sakura winced mentally, knowing what he was going to say was, _...if you were doing anything 'special' tonight with Sakura?_

"And I was just down the street looking at speakers. Thought I'd drop in and see how you were doing."

She pulled a smile. "I'm fine. How've you been?" Her voice sounded false even to her own ears and it was painful to keep the smile up when she really wanted to kick something or just turn around and forget this was even happening.

"I've been...okay," he said, stuffing his other hand in his pocket.

She hated to see him struggling, but a part of her was wishing he was someone else. And that made her guilt even heavier.

An awkward silence fell between them and Sakura twisted the hanger between her fingers.

After a long moment, Zaku sighed heavily and looked away from her, across the store to the door and shrugged slightly. "Guess this is goodbye, huh?"

Sakura bit the inside of her cheek. "I guess so."

"Too bad," he looked down at her and then at the piece of clothing in her hand and smiled bitterly. "Could've been fun, I think, given some time."

She didn't know what to say, so she only nodded.

"I'll see you around, Sakura," he took a step back and frowned slightly. "Or not."

"I'm sorry it didn't work out." She managed, feeling more awkward by the second. "For what it's worth, it _was _fun."

He snorted, and a glimpse of his old teasing shown through the mask. "Yeah, guess it was. A taxi driver is always the life of the party, don't you know?"

She smiled for real in spite of herself. "Of course...'bye, Zaku."

Zaku grinned bigger, and gave her a two-fingered mock salute as he turned for the exit. He wasn't Gaara, but he was something special in his own right and she was going to miss him.

At that moment Ino walked over and flapped a hand in front of her face. "Sakura? You going to buy that today or next year?"

Sakura laughed and made her way up to the counter.

O O O

Temari and Hidan were waiting on the porch steps when the taxi came to a halt at the curb. Tsunade patted Gaara on the shoulder and graced him with a tight-lipped smile when he turned to look at her. He frowned, looking as if he was trying to decide if it would be polite to invite her in but finding it difficult to do so for personal reasons.

Tsunade just shook her head. "Go on, I'll talk to you again tomorrow."

The idea didn't seem to appease him. "Goodbye."

Tsunade watched him go and waited until Hidan had helped him up the stairs and through the door and returned Temari's wave before instructing the taxi driver to take her back to her hotel.

The boy had a lot to learn, and if she couldn't convince him immediately that she was speaking the truth, she would have to force him to see. She would die three times over before she ever let him step back into his old self.

* * *

THAT'S IT! This story is going to be picking up in the next chapter or two. I'm getting annoyed with it and, you can't see it, but I've got a lighter held up to this thing. It had BETTER be getting into shape soon or SO HELP ME I WILL TORCH THE LITTLE FUCKER!

...Please review guys, it might help kick the shit out of this headache T.T


	14. Chapter 14

A Haunting Kind Of Memory

**Chapter 14**

O O O

The weeks passed slowly, time having turned into the lethargic and unhurried crawl of a snail. The sun didn't help matters at all, though in retrospect it _could _have been the final straw that pushed Sakura into buying the piece of junk car she now owned. A Pontiac Grand Am with vintage faded red paint and scratchy polyester seats that were frayed beyond belief.

It ate gas up like it was going out of style and the transmission, brakes, and many other parts Sakura didn't know let alone could sound out, were all in various stages of biting the dust. Still, it ran (however unreliably) and Naruto had been coming over every Saturday since she got it and was slowly returning it to 'slightly less hazardous' condition.

On one of said Saturdays, Sakura had finally bit the bullet and told Naruto about Gaara.

"I don't care what you say or what you do, I'm still going to see him and you can't stop me-not that you could even if you tried." Were her exact words, said forcefully and with the perfect of poker faces.

Naruto, to his credit, took it rather well. He didn't throw anything, didn't even raise his voice, though he did come rather close to breaking his foot by kicking the back wheel of her new (ancient) car. At which point Sakura had spent a good ten minutes screaming her head off saying how it was already about to break apart, do _not _help it dig its grave faster!

The next day Naruto had stayed later at her house than usual in order to meet Gaara (again) and 'asses him', as he had so eloquently put it. Which had roughly translated from Guy Talk to "Since you don't have a big brother, I'm going to play the part and rip this guy a new one".

It had been a tense and very uncomfortable gathering, but Sakura had somehow managed to pull through with a wary Gaara and a disappointed Naruto (deflated to a sour puddle because of Gaara's lack of reaction to his every word).

And so it was established in concrete among Sakura's friends and Gaara's family that they were officially dating once more, however difficult it was to gain footing on the shaky ground of New Relationship. But both had faith they would soldier through it and get closer and stronger together and _make it work_ this time-and, maybe, that had been the first _sure_ step into the unknown.

O O O

"Deidara's dead."

Sasori blinked. "What did you say?"

Across from him, spread out comfortably on Sasori's couch, Kisame huffed and ran a hand through his blue hair. "The kid's dead, Sasori. As in 'bullet-to-the-chest-can't-blow-up-any-more-cars-for-the-hell-of-it' dead."

Itachi shot a sharp look at his partner before fixing his blank eyes on Sasori once more. "It happened sometime last month while you were still in the hospital. We were not aware of Madara's intentions, and therefore we could not give warning to Deidara in time."

"He told me that you three were conspiring against Madara. That everything was going smoothly."

"Conspiring?" Kisame repeated. "Is that what we're doing? Huh. And here I thought we were a handful of double agents out for a bloody revenge."

"Kisame. Keep quiet or get out." Itachi said, eyes still fixed on Sasori.

"What happened?" Sasori clenched his jaw and fisted his hands into the fabric of his jeans.

Itachi blinked slowly, the closest thing to hesitation the man had ever shown, before saying quietly, "We are not entirely sure."

"_What_?"

"Do you expect us to-"

"_Kisame._"

Kisame promptly scooted to the far end of the couch as the air around Itachi turned decidedly deadly. To Sasori, it seemed like the stress of being a part of Akatsuki was finally reaching the silent Uchiha and flaying his nerves just as bad as the rest of them, despite his best efforts of keeping it hidden and away from the others.

He was human, after all. They all were.

"We were informed of Deidara's murder," Here Sasori narrowed his eyes. "...after we returned from our latest assignment. Kakuzu was with us and asked about him since he apparently owed a large debt. Madara then explained how Deidara had been a mole and was dealt with accordingly. Zetsu took care of the body."

"The sick fuck probably ate him."

Itachi turned his head and glared openly at Kisame, and it was such a malevolent, threatening look that the bigger man stood, cleared his throat, and exited the room. Sasori imagined him bent over the sink sweating bullets.

"He was shot in the chest?" Sasori asked, recollecting Kisame's earlier comment.

Itachi nodded. "His room was cleaned out. We retrieved a small box of odds and ends from the hall, hoping to find something useful against Madara since Deidara _had _been digging up information on him."

"He was?"

"Yes. It was his assignment. There was nothing useful however, it seemed that Madara had gotten to Deidara's stuff before we could."

"Then why bring the box to me? What am I supposed to do with it?"

Itachi stared quietly at him for a moment, effectively freaking Sasori out and, strangely enough, causing him to feel _guilty_ of all things. He ducked his head in shame and stared at the carpet, thinking cynically of how hard Deidara would be laughing at him right now had he still been alive. It wasn't every day that Sasori, the stoic, scary, intimidating red-headed man that he was felt anything short of apathy.

"He was your partner, we figured it was your property do with as you wished." Itachi said, and stood from the couch. Sasori followed, though awkwardly because of his still-sore injuries.

"Alright."

Kisame lumbered back in then, probably sensing the atmosphere slightly less hostile and therefore more approachable (or more likely, eavesdropping from around the corner until it was safe). Still, he kept his mouth smartly shut and trailed after Itachi and Sasori out the door and down to their car.

The box was small and hardly anything special. All sharp edges and rigged sandalwood compacted to hold an assortment of ticket stubs, a seven of spades, what looked to be a wad of gum but was actually just a rock, a jagged piece of sea glass, and, down at the bottom covered by receipts and scraps of paper scribbled on in a messy scrawl, was what looked like the leg of a doll.

Sasori closed the lid and nodded to Itachi. "Thanks...for stopping by and telling me-and for this."

Itachi chose not to reply and instead turned to get in the car, leaving Kisame to shut the trunk where the box had been stored.

"See ya around," Kisame gave his trademark manic grin and flipped Sasori a two-fingered salute before folding himself into the passenger's seat.

Sasori stayed on the sidewalk, cradling the box in his hands, and watched as the sleek black car disappeared around the corner before climbing the steps back up to his apartment and locking the door behind him.

The box sat ominously on his coffee table for the better part of an hour while Sasori alternated between pacing the rooms, rearranging his CD collection, folding and refolding his only afghan, and flipping carelessly through his mail, all the while shooting it worried looks that carefully hid the sadness marked in the depth of his eyes.

Finally, Sasori sat down and pulled the box close, emptying it of its contents.

O O O

Sakura burst into a fit of giggles as Gaara sat back comfortably in her comfy chair, having just finished relaying one of Hidan's latest attempts at trying to seduce Temari into bed without giving Gaara the head's up and, also, keep his shins safely away from Gaara's kicking foot.

Of course, it hadn't gone as Hidan wanted.

"Did you really throw your book at him?" Sakura managed, wiping her eyes.

Gaara smirked, full of humour, and nodded. "The pillow was too far away."

"_Anna Karenina _is a thick book, though."

"It's also a very adept weapon."

Sakura fell into another giggling attack, face flushed and brimming with uncontrolled glee.

The sheer effortlessness they had fallen into over the past month was staggering to say the least. Sakura, for all intents and purposes, had been braced for impact. Had _expected _at some point in time for it to all go to shit and that would be that. It couldn't be said that she didn't try.

But, by some odd twist of fate, things had been smooth flowing from the start. From the first words that fell from his lips to the last syllable just spoken, it had been easy and fun and simple. And she was drinking it in just as she had always done, and maybe that was the downside. That she was putting herself out there and not even thinking of the consequences.

She gave credit were credit was due, though. Gaara made it easy to believe there might not be any consequences in the long run.

Only time would tell if that would come back to bite her in the ass or not.

"Are you doing anything later?"

Gaara looked up at her with quirked brow. "Temari is making dinner for everyone. Says she has some big news she wants to discuss."

Sakura smiled and shrugged. "Oh, that sounds nice. I was just wondering if you wanted to go to the opening of the Natural History museum downtown, but we can go some other time."

"Why don't you come?"

"Sorry?"

Gaara scratched his cheek absently. "Why don't you come over and have dinner with us?"

Imposing on family time. Sakura bit her tongue and shook her head. "That's alright, it could be something private and I don't want to make things weird."

He smiled easily, and it was just a bit unsettling to see him crack a grin like that when the last time they were intimate he could only scowl. Or, on some occasions, give his trademark mocking smirk from Hell.

"I'm sure she wouldn't mind, Temari likes company. The whole," He gestured vaguely with his hands. "Show-off-your-house-and-family thing. Gives her pride a nice stroke."

Sakura laughed. "I'll think about it, but maybe you should talk to Temari about it first. By the way, how's Kankurou doing?"

She couldn't be entirely sure, but it almost looked as if Gaara winced at the mention of his brother. "He's doing better. Doesn't much care for his meds, but he's recovering."

"I heard from his nurse that before he left he flushed his pills down the sink."

Gaara's lips turned up in a rueful smile. "Yeah, he did. He's convinced they are making him insane."

Sakura shrugged, getting the sixth sense that this was a touchy area and decided to back off. "It's been long enough now that he can cut his dosage in half, you know. He doesn't have to take so much."

He tilted his head curiously. "Is that a concerned citizen's input or professional advice?"

"For the sake of legality, we'll say it's the latter," she said, chuckling.

The conversation lagged into a comfortable banter from there, a moment that would forever be stored into that old trunk Sakura kept stored in the back of her head (which had been cleaned out and renovated for the new and sweeter moments labeled 'Gaara'). It had been like this since their first meeting (date) a few days after Gaara was released from the hospital.

Granted, _that _had been a tense and awkward hour sitting in a slightly rundown diner on the edge of town. But, despite the shabbiness of the place, Gaara had starting talking right form the beginning and didn't stop until he had cleared the air between them, turning the place from dreary to bright with possibilities. He began explaining everything that he had felt, the reasons he did what he did, and what had changed since then.

And the one thing that hadn't.

"I've loved you, I never stopped. And I know that I'm late, and I know that you may never be able to forgive me, I understand that-I really do. But, if there's any chance of that happening, if there's any possible way of...of you giving even a pardon, I'll take it. I'll do whatever I can to show you I won't botch it up this time, Sakura. I'm just asking for one more chance. Please, let me show you that I'm not that monster anymore."

And, God, if her very _soul _hadn't ached at the raw sincerity in his voice, or the way that his eyes became deep pools of icy-green pulling her in so, so gently. It was that, if nothing else, that won her over in the end, how his gaze spoke volumes-more so than words could ever hope of achieving.

So she had said, "Better late than never."

Said, "It damn well took you long enough, you bastard."

It was water under the bridge, and a her head screamed at her that it was crazy, that she was setting herself up for heartbreak again, but her heart whispered for her to give him the chance because she wouldn't regret it. _Live like it's your last day, Sakura. Just jump off the cliff and fly again._

Presently, Gaara stood in her doorway with that smile that never failed to speed up her heartbeat, and he held her hand in one of his. "You're coming later, right?" he asked, facial expression reminiscent of the child he had never been.

She nodded and smiled widely. "If Temari agrees, then yes. Just call me after you talk to her, alright? I really don't want to make things awkward."

Gaara nodded, and then he was leaning toward her, his shoulders hunched and fingers soft over her cheek, lips pressing against hers gently. But then he nipped her bottom lip and sucked on it, causing fire to shoot through her veins and reminding her abruptly that though Gaara was a different man, some of his old recklessness still lay just beneath the skin.

"'Bye, Sakura," he chuckled, voice low and thick.

As she watched him go, she couldn't help but laugh at herself. It seemed that lately Gaara's kisses just weren't enough.

O O O

Hidan nudged Kankurou with his knee under the table and, after catching his eye, nodded his head toward Gaara and Sakura and wiggled his eyebrow with a manic grin. Kankurou gave the 'what are you, stupid?' look before tucking back into his roast and potatoes with a shrug.

The way he figured it, Hidan's mental deficiencies were beyond repair, so really there wasn't any use in wasting time better spent stuffing his face trying to make sense of what he was implying.

Beside him, Hidan looked as if someone had just tried to drown his kitten in bleach. With a huff, he kicked out viciously at Kankurou's shin-and completely misjudged the direction and ended up smashing his toes against the frame of Kankurou's chair.

"OW, FUCK!"

"Hidan!" Temari glared fiercely across the table at him, completely ignoring the pathetic whimpers he couldn't keep silent. _Don't you mess up my family dinner_, the look seemed to say, complete with a lethal hiss and deadly undertones.

Gaara blinked and shook his head. Sakura could see his lips twitch into the smallest of smiles as he took a swallow of his drink and found herself grinning, too.

"The goddamn chair hit my foot," Hidan muttered, training his eyes back on his plate.

Temari quirked a brow, reminding Sakura instantly of Gaara. "Really, now? I wasn't aware we bought magical chairs that moved on their own," she deadpanned.

"Then I suggest we get a fucking refund, seriously."

It was by sheer luck that Hidan managed to dodge the fork aimed at his head, and as he picked himself up off the floor and peeked over the table at his fuming wife, he couldn't help but think his sense of humour was going to give him cardiac arrest. Or send Temari on a pissy rampage, either way, he was going to be the death of himself however involuntary.

Kankurou leaned back in his chair so as to effectively give Hidan his best shit eating grin. "I wondered when you'd take your place on the floor."

Hidan narrowed his eyes. "Bastard," he muttered petulantly, too afraid (though he'd never admit it) of the possibilities of Temari's butter knife and spoon to right himself in his chair just yet.

"Alright, enough," Temari growled and crossed her arms over her chest. "I want to make an announcement."

She watched with slit-like eyes as Hidan carefully sat in his chair and innocently folded his hands on the table.

Gaara coughed to cover his laugh. Beside him, Sakura ducked her head and shoved a spoonful of rice to hide her smile.

"There's going to be a few changes around here, and I wanted to give all of you a head's up." She glanced around the table and cracked a grin at Sakura.

Hidan scowled and picked up his drink. "I'm _not _throwing out my vintage scythe, it's a religious icon. You might not find it very _pretty_ but my great-grandfather went through a lot of shit to get it, seriously," he said, and took a large swallow of milk.

"I'm pregnant."

Hidan spit his milk out in an uncanny resemblance of Old Faithful.

O O O

Sasori wiped his face with his hands and sighed heavily. In his lap lay what he had previously thought as a doll, but had turned out to be...well, a doll, but for the sake of respecting Deidara's memory, he was going to properly dub it a clay sculpture.

It was very well made though, for someone who had made it a hobby to blow up everything he could get his hands on, delicate and strong looking and detailed with intense precision. It felt odd holding a little version of himself, almost like it was a voodoo doll and if he stabbed a pin in the stomach he would most surely feel it.

But at the same time a bitter sense of loss settled like acid in Sasori's chest, and hate surged up with it, covering it and drenching it in shadow. He sat there for a long time, just staring down at the figurine with a pained expression and glazed eyes.

Finally, he stood and sat the sculpture carefully on a shelf against the wall. It was positioned so that no matter where you moved inside the apartment, it was within sight and therefore always watching with those curious flat eyes and tense posture.

Giving it an apologetic look (wishing that he could have Deidara back because it was glaringly obvious now just how much he had been a part of his life), Sasori turned and picked up his land-line.

He dialed a number he had long since committed to memory and slumped against the wall at his back. He didn't have to wait long, Itachi picked up in the middle of the second ring.

"I want in. Whatever it is you're planning," He glanced over at Deidara's last piece of art. "I want to be part of it. I don't care what I have to do."

Silence.

Then, "Be at the old warehouse off I-10 in an hour."

* * *

**A/N: **No your eyes did not decieve you! That was a real update! Surprised? So am I, honestly. Didn't think I had it in me but, YES!, I finally figured out how I'm going to work the rest of this fic to completetion. I rather hope you enjoyed, thank you very much.

Also, just want to take the time to say thank you to all six of you who leave me reviews lol. They help, more than words can express. Thank you so much guys!


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